The one year affair
by tamarindblue
Summary: It was the end of an era. The fine balance was disturbed and a paradigm shift is bound to happen. A mourning family is forced to live its worst memories all over again and a dying man is thrown back into the field. How can things change so much in one year?
1. Prologue

**The one year affair**

 **Prologue**

 _'So …'_

 _'Your Brother's blight'_

 _'What?'_

 _'It seems to be catching up with you'_

 _'What do you mean?'_

* * *

'Hinata sama'

'Yes, Tama'

'Tell me … Tell me about my father' the three-year-old child was looking expectantly with wide bright eyes.

* * *

 _'The insidious Course is over; the disease is starting to manifest'_

 _Sasuke was momentarily stunned_

* * *

'Haven't your mother told you about your dad, Tama Kun?'

'Yes, but I want to hear from you too'

She sighed, the poor kid was starting to understand what a father was, he was starting to realise that he was missing someone who whatever TenTen, Hiashi, Hanaba or she tried to do in order to fill for, they will never replace.

Maybe they will distract him for a little time, console him at others but none the less, he will always feel the sting of orphan hood, the pain of the loss will even manifest at certain times despite all the effort expended to keep it at bay.

She knows well.

After all, she had lost her mother when she was young as well.

And she had seen His father, Neji, suffer the same exact pain before him.

She was the reason of this boy's plight,

She mused gloomily.

* * *

 _The weight of the words dawned heavily on Sasuke, yet he rapidly regained his composure._

 _'And …'_

 _'There isn't much I can do, Sasuke san'_

 _'That I know, how much time do I have left?'_

 _Kina averted his eyes from his_

 _'Provided you don't exhaust yourself much and with sufficient medication, Probably one year'_


	2. The Shadows of death

**Chapter one: The shadows of Death**

"Goddammit" he muttered

Kakashi was not a man cut for celebrations or summits, much less organising them.

And Now, with the victory celebrations and the five Kage summit only a few days away, he was stuck …

"Stop complaining" Shikamaru growled, "You have got Naruto and me doing the whole work, while you are merely observing and reading your Icha Icha bull…"

"Angry for getting you off your Lazy bum, Shikamaru, in fact, I am doing you a favour, you get to meet the delegations and I know you are quite fond of them, especially Sunogakure's"

Shikamaru seemed flustered for a minute, before rapidly throwing an emphasisable 'It is non of your concern' line

A good five minutes of argument ensued before Shikamaru finally gave up with a 'whatever', After all, he was too tired to go on with this 'Ridiculous' chitchat and he had more stuff to do as he put it.

"You mean more napping to do" Naruto chimed "Come on mate, give me a hand, I am fried here"

"Later, Naruto"

Any ounce of guilt Shikamaru felt for leaving most of the work to Naruto was effectively drowned by his own urgency to lay back and rest.

 _'After all, he is the one who wants to be a Hokage_ '

* * *

Sasuke looked upon his imminent death with relief rather than bereavement

 _'At least I get to join the clan'_

As for his clan's succession, reviving their legacy and such, Sasuke has had his resolve a long time ago, the world has had enough unfortunate Uchihas, he was going to be the last of the cursed clan, the one that loved too much and hated with unrivalled intensity.

His heart was sealed anyway.

He reluctantly sets off back to Konoha … to bid his one dear friend goodbye.

* * *

It was hard to get over Neji's death.

The elder Hyuuga seemed to have gotten older since his Nephew's demise, Hanabi was training harder to fill the gap her cousin has left.

Hinata became more withdrawn, more silent save with Tama.

"You should go out more" the elder Hyuuga admonished "Walk around town, meet your teammates, village and clansmen"

"I was already planning to take Tama on a walk , he wants to see the decorations more up close, TenTen will join us as well"

"I meant without Tama and TenTen, on your own accord, you have been grieving for too long now, it is wearing you out, you need to stop"

"You are talking as though I am the only one who is still grieving"

He looked at her wearily, she was right.

he wasn't over grief himself.

* * *

Tama was practically awed by the sight of all the brightly coloured banners.

They were mostly orange

The whole town was illuminated save for the cemetery and the Uchiha district.

"Look Hinata-sama, those lights"

"I have to admit, Hinata, Naruto did a damn good Job on this"

"Yes, he did" she replied absent mindedly

TenTen observed her friend, no longer did she blush at the mention of Naruto, no longer does she seem interested in anything , anyone but Tama who was currently absorbed by the merry displays in town.

"Your guilt complex is getting the best of you , my dear friend"

"Huh"

"Hinata, He made a choice, one we should cherish and respect, not only to protect you but to protect the clan and Konoha"

"I can't seem to shake the feeling of his blood on my hands, TenTen. I can't seem to stop despising myself every time I think about all the things he had missed, Tama's smiles, his first step, his first word, and all the other things he would miss. I can't seem to stop wondering about what you and Tama are missing with him gone. I can't stop thinking that it would have been easier if it was me who took the blow, not him."

"Hinata, it does not go this way, I am sure he can still see Tama and feel him somehow, somewhere. He can still watch over the both of us, over you as well. He liked you so much Hinata, despite everything, even at the zenith of his animosity towards the main house. And honestly Hinata, all of us are doing a hard job to ensure Tama isnot missing out on anything Neji would have done, especially Hiashi-sama and you"

It seemed like Hinata has blanked out amid of the conversation.

"Oh, look who I have bumped into" Naruto's voice bellowed as he lifted Tama off the ground.

"Naruto-Sama" the boy giggled, the years Naruto spent as an outcast orphan made him particularly kind towards children his like.

"Tama-kun, how are you? You have gotten taller since I last saw you"

The little boy seemed to be pleased by the compliment.

"God, you look exactly like, Neji-kun, rest his soul. TenTen, Hinata, how is it going?"

"Fine, Naruto, you did a grand job on that"

Naruto grinned as he scratched the back of his head "Thank you, TenTen. I did most of the work on my own since Kakashi and Shikamaru practically bailed on me. Wait, till the real celebrations start and you will be blown away, especially you, Tama"

"When will they start, Naruto-Sama?"

"Soon enough buddy, when the Kages arrive, in fact Gaara is almost here and the rest will follow after, I will get going now, Kakashi sent for me, see you around; Tama, Hinata, TenTen" he nodded

* * *

 _'This cannot be good news'_

The Kumogakure's messenger has just left Kakashi's office,

The Raikage was Dead


	3. The end of an Era

**Chapter 2:The end of an Era**

"The Raikage is dead?!"

"Yes, Naruto"

"Since when?"

"Apparently last week"

"How did it happen, Kakashi?"

"Assassinated"

Gaara, who has been silent all during the brief exchange decided to interject

"If the rumours are of any truth, it would be the Shinobi Commander, who is said to be the ANBU captain as well, The current Raikage"

"Oh God, so it is basically a Coup D'état" Kakashi tiredly mumbled

"And What about the Kage Summit, will he attend? And more importantly, where does that put us?"

"He is attending, Naruto. As to where it puts us, I don't know, Honestly, but as far as I am concerned this guy is by no means a good guy"

"Yes, He is not at all, the intel speaks very poorly of his reputation" Gaara assured

"Let's Pray that this Summit passes on as quickly and as smoothly as possible" Kakashi huffed "well, for now, I will let you both catch , Escort Gaara-San and the rest of the Sunakagure's delegation to their quarters"

' _He is ordering you around like a junior PA' Naruto could hear Kurama grumbling_

 _'Ha,You just realised that, good timing, Mate'_

* * *

 _It was a tentative peace._

 _In fact, it was a lengthy truce of sorts rather than a tentative peace. The governments of the five lands were exhausted and depleted after the 4th war, and having lost their tailed beasts save for Naruto and Killer B, they weren't at advantage._

 _The five lands, despite agreeing to the treaty, despite yearning for and embracing peace, haven't fully resolve their issues, haven't sorted out their differences, have not really forgotten the past let alone forgive it and haven't even addressed their skeptics honestly enough._

 _They merely hid it behind a meek flawed treaty, a piece of paper signed by smiling politicians with empty honorifics._

 _A light peace of paper that will eventually be blown off by any weak wind of change, one that can drift with the slightest current and be carried off by the tiniest of ebbs._

 _A hollowed out meaningless piece of paper._

 _Another hypocritical peace._

 _And Kakashi's surmise is blaring that with this new coup d'état, this new Raikage, everything will fall to pieces._

* * *

"Look, we get you settled then we go for a bowl of ramen, my treat"

"You never seem to change, Naruto" Gaara laughed

"Come on, we gotta catch up, like Kakashi said, and what better way to do so than chatting over a bowl of ramen, beside the following days, we might not get the chance to see each other properly, let alone talk to one other"

"Fine, you convinced me, but let's find my sister first, Kankuro, where is Temari?"

"She was over there speaking with this slothy guy about something concerning our lodging "

"What? Shikamaru was here? Strange the guy managed to get outta of his bed to meet you" Naruto spoke

* * *

The streets were busy and with the hood on, he could blend in the background easily without attracting much attention.

The mood was festive, He noted from what he saw on the streets leading to the Hokage's office.

' _The victory celebrations are around this time of the year, probably a Kage summit is in order as well'_

Judging from the flood of orange spoiling his view, he could guess who was in charge of the preparations.

* * *

"Will we visit the memorial, tomorrow?" Tama inquired

"Well, I don't know, Tama bear, Kakashi wants us all on alert and ready during the summit, I am even closing the shop, beside tomorrow the cemetery will be crowded in the morn"

"My team has no missions scheduled these days and Sakura is in charge at Hospital with Tsunade, I can go with Tama at dusk"

"You will miss out on the festivities Hinata, they begin at Dusk."

"That is precisely the point, the cemetery won't be crowded, there might be no one at all"

Tenten eyed her warily, Hinata was still blocking out everything ... how stubborn she could be

The lurking eyes in the shadows though have heard enough.

* * *

"Welcome Home, Sasuke"

"Kakashi" he nodded

"I hope you haven't found anything alarming on your travels"

"Nothing, I was just passing by, maybe I will stay a couple of days"

"Naruto will be overjoyed, He missed you so much, Sakura too"

He cringed at the mention of her name, honestly he feels bad about the lot of the situation, this obnoxious triangle. He likes Sakura, he really does and he owes her the worth of her wait for him, her devotion but he just doesn't love her, he couldn't and can't now, with the knowledge he was dying thrown to his face.

He wholeheartedly hoped that with him away, she could move on, she could appreciate Naruto for the great man he is.

Hopefully she did.

"Good, where can I find him?"

"Where else? The ramen shop"

"And Sasuke, we need to discuss stuff so after catching up with Naruto and resting, come back to see me"

* * *

It was awkward.

Apparently, Gaara and Kankura managed to find their elusive sister, coincidently in the ramen shop along with Shikamaru.

And now, seated altogether in the same place, on the same table was proving to be very uncomfortable, especially with Kankura sniggering at Shikamaru who was swallowing his ramen heavily and Gaara having a glaring contest with Temari.

And Naruto was proving useless at dissipating the tension. In fact, He wasn't helping at all.

And

"Teme" he bolstered so loud that the customers seemed to flip off their seats.

Shikamaru choked on his Ramen, Temari kept knocking on his back as she handed him water, while the brothers seemed to be swinging the line between glowering at Temari and gloating at Shikamaru's blunder.

' _Some things never change' Sasuke darkly contemplated as Naruto leeched onto him_

* * *

The night was over.

"I am so freaking happy, You and Gaara came on the same day"

"Well, Let's consider this your Lucky day, how have you been, Naruto?"

"Busy, Kakashi is basically skinning me alive"

' _he is passing on the Hokage duties to him, then'_

"Anything new regarding your undying love for Sakura"

"Well, she decided to give me a chance here, although you know she is taking it all a bit too slow for my taste, me aside, have you finally decided to settle back here?"

"I am here for a few days, then I would be on way, for a longer journey this time, in fact I am here just to see you"

' _for one last time, I owe you that my friend'_

"You have grown soft I see, any way, you are staying at my place for those few days then"

"No, I am heading home"

"?"

"The Uchiha district"

"What? Teme, the district is inhabitable in this state, it has been deserted for years now, You can't ..."

"I have made up my mind Naruto, I want to stay there"

"But ..."

"No buts, I have stayed in worst places during my travels, this wouldn't hurt"

After all, he needed to make amends with his memories, this is the final chance to reconcile with home.


	4. The past that haunts me

**Chapter 3: The past that haunts me**

It was cold. The wind was howling and the walls were bouncing off the echoes.

The grounds though were not completely run down.

The Uchihas built durable houses, homes for life. Sadly, their houses outlived them.

 _Nothing feels as sad as the scene of derelict homes_

He found it hard to recognise the way to his house. It has been so long. His memory was failing, still he did try to get a sense of direction, a compass of sorts.

He must have a penchant for torturing himself.

* * *

The doors were cracked and unhinged, the paint had peeled off. Dust stuck to the surfaces like a second skin.

And the memories haven't faded, didn't fade at all.

He remembers bright lights, long black hair, the smell of cooking and Jasmine.

He remembers a mischievous boy trying to capture an older man's attention and a whole lot of empty 'next times'.

He remembers dark nights and sombre days and the tinged smell of copper and an ocean of crimson and tears.

And the ocean of memories hits him full force, it knocks him out of balance.

He thought he was ready for this, He thought it has been a long time.

His legs give out and his body fails him. He is in a bout of bloody cough and immense pain.

His heart burns.

* * *

Whereas delegations arrived, the people of Konoha were rushing to the graveyard.

Elderlies, youngsters.

Orphaned children, widowed wives and bereaved parents.

Kins of those whom war ripened and death reaped before they reached the zenith of their time.

* * *

The Kumogakure's delegation was last to arrive owing to the ruckus and instability of the current situation.

"Welcome, Raikage-San, we wish to convey both our fervent congratulations and our deepest condolences for your loss" the statement was paradoxical, quite ironic in fact, congrats & condolences, Kakashi was not even convinced of his own voice while uttering those protocoled words.

The Raikage, a man in his mid forties, was a tall sturdy man with coarse hardened facial features,a soldier's features, and a ruthless one it seemed, with eyes so deep & sunken ... Hidden well enough that you can barely make them out of his face.

"Thank you Hokage, your congratulations are thoroughly appreciated" his voice was rumbly, Kakashi noted, heavy and seemingly laced with sarcasm and undermining.

"Very well then, the proceedings for the summit and the opening session will start tomorrow, as for tonight, we would be honoured to have you and your delegation among the others attending our festivities"

"we will do"

"Our thanks are in order. Naruto, please show our guests to their residencies"

"Yes, Kakashi, although I would like to ask about killer B's whereabouts"

"Killer B could not attend, we left him in charge of a couple of things in the village, however he sends his regards to you all particularly to you Naruto-San" the Raikage smile was wide as he finished his sentence.

"Well, sir, you can send him my regards as well when you reach home, now please keep on with me"

Naruto proceeded to escort them to their rooms.

* * *

In his office, Kakashi sighed his relief

"You said you wanted to speak to me yesterday"

That was short lived, Kakashi nearly tripped off.

"Honest to God, Sasuke, could not you just announce yourself better? You nearly gave me a heart attack"

"You are a shinobi, Kakashi, you should be on alert mood all the time, or have becoming a hokage made you soft? Now what isgoing on?"

Kakashi went on to tell him of the new Raikage & Kumogakure's speculated coup d'état.

"I don't know if we should be alarmed or not, after all it is first and foremost a matter of Kumogakure's internal affair but is a man like this trustworthy enough to maintain the peace among the territories? Naruto thinks not, and from what Gaara said, the man had ties with the former Akatsuki" Kakashi continued to explain.

"None of what you are saying is condemning enough, everybody had ties with Akatsuki at one point or 's be patient for a little while until we see what the murky waters will drive ashore, you have your people to provide intel if we want right?"

"Dependable"

"What?" Sasuke incredulously asked

"We rely on Naruto's sense of their beast and Killer B's good faith to enlighten us of any misshaps"

 _'Well, that may not be enough'_ Sasuke noted to himself.

"The celebrations will start shortly, you will attend, right Sasuke?"

"I am afraid not, Celebrations are not for my likings, Kakashi"

* * *

Dusk time was nearly over, night was setting in.

The crowd has died out in the graveyard, they were off to the celebrations.

 _'It is hard to determine where their hearts really are'_

He pulled his hood down and stood at the entrance of the graveyard, where memorials of deceased Konohans stretched at the distance.

He figured out he should visit his clan's remnants, pay tribute to his parents and offer his prayers of mercy & rest.

 _'Itachi had no grave, only a bleak memorial stone'_ Sasuke thought grimly.

Itachi, the single name that stirred up all colours of sadness within him.

"I don't know if you have found your peace of mind, your reimbursement and reward, if you have fulfilled your purpose and I would not know, not in the time being at least! It is just that ... I still can find no solace, no console and ..." he voiced out his thoughts inadvertedly.

' _O Itachi, how hard is it to speak'_

A voice snapped him out of his Musings.

* * *

"Sun flowers" the boy cheerfully said "I brought them for you"

 _'Neji, how long has it been ...'_

"I am joining the academy next year, Hiashi -san thinks I am old enough, he says I will be a great Ninja like you have been"

 _'I am sorry, Neji, sorry for not being there for you, sorry for this' she stared wistfully_

"Won't you ever talk to me?" the boy was disappointed

' _How hard is it to speak, Neji, so hard'_

"No kid, he won't ...

Ahh look, not only one pair of Byakugan but two, and god, how pretty are hers" a man leered.

Hinata's blood ran cold

There were five men in plain sight and from the look of it,they were professional ANBU.

* * *

Her first impulse was to activate her blood limit, her Byakugan. to check the premises for more.

' _No more'_ she spotted someone at the entrance far from the isolated cemeteries of the Hyuuga, she zoomed in on him to Sasuke Uchiha in view.

"Tama, I want you to run as fast as you can until you reach the entrance and bring help"

And the fight began …

* * *

It was a little boy, mortified & out of breath calling for help.

"Please help"

"Easy here, boy"

' _A byakugan, he must be a Hyuuga'_

"Help, please, Hinata-sama ...there are big men ... attacking her" he muttered incoherently

Hinata Hyuuga was being assaulted.

"Do you know the way to the village, boy?"

He nodded no.

"God, ok, just stay here and try to hide until either me or Hyuuga come to get you"

* * *

She tried to assure herself that the boy was fine and that he would find Sasuke before he leaves.

Anything but Tama, if anything happened to Tama, she will never forgive herself.

' _I am sorry Neji, I am so sorry'_

* * *

"You already gentle fisted two of them in such a nick of time, I am impressed Hyuuga" two heaps were lying uselessly on the ground.

Sasuke wasted no time in joining the fight.

The fight was in fact far beneath his skills, he considered trapping them into an Izanami before declining, they weren't worth the strain plus they needed them in mentally functioning state, in order to extract useful information.

It wasn't long before Hinata struck her third and he rendered another one unconscious and was holding the last one at sword edge, before knocking him out.

"Anyone dead, Hyuuga?"

"Where is Tama?" She completely ignored his question as she eagerly asked about this Tama

He figured out this Tama was the little boy.

"At the entrance"

He checked the vitals of the five assailants, no one was dead, but they will remain put out for a while, good he figured, until he could bring out Shinobi forces to arrest them and investigate.

* * *

He caught up with Hinata Hyuuga at the entrance.

He could see glimpses of the reunion from afar.

She held onto the boy's little frame as if he were her lifeline

"Thank god you are safe" she kept whispering before she collapsed.


	5. All the games we can't play

**Chapter 4: All the games we can't play **

"I didn't know you were in town" She spoke

Blank. The hospital walls were blank, pristine white.

He had nothing against hospitals, he was just impatient and he hated to be confined ... He hated the beeping monitors, the noise they produced and the extravagant care provided, borderline obsessive ... Smothering, not as comfortable as home. He is damaged beyond healing anyway.

"Hello, Sakura, long time"

Strange, the loss of words she was in, All the conversation she imagined in her head, all the speeches … they stemmed down to nothing. No words were flowing at all between them.

"I ... I was sent by Tsunade, to scan you for any injuries and.."

"I am fine, just a couple of scratches, you don't have to"

"But..."

"No buts, Sakura"

He was insistent and she was too afraid to push the boundaries. The shadow of his past self was still looming in her memory. He was scary back then, she remembers, so scary when his face contorted and twisted, when he was ready to kill.

But still, there was a warmth in her chest at the sight of him, a fondness that did not fade

 _'That is wrong' she thought_

* * *

"Mate, what the hell happened?" the barging Naruto stopped in his tracks.

The air got thick, thicker than before.

"I am sorry; I will let you two catch up" Naruto defeatedly took to his leave.

Sasuke However broke through the heavy curtain of tension that befell

"No, stay Naruto, it is no time to catch up, beside Sakura is needed elsewhere."

It was a subtle cue from Sasuke, a cue that it was time for Sakura to move over, step aside from between him & Naruto.

"Yes, I am done here"Sakura said indignantly as she moved further down the hospital isle.

* * *

"Naruto, Hinata Hyuuga and a little boy were attacked in the cemetery, I told Tsunade as soon as I brought them here"

"Yes, Kakashi sent a shinobi team to retrieve the assailants but I still donot know any details, how is Hinata?" Naruto inquired

"She is probably well, maybe shocked a little"

"Poor Hinata, she seems to be wired-up to this sort of Misfortune" Naruto huffed

 _'The Hyuuga affair' Sasuke remembered_

"The kid is alright?" Naruto asked

"Yes, Tenten came rushing here, she has calmed him down, he succumbed to sleep a little while ago" Sasuke could not help but feel inquisitive "Who is the boy?

"Tama, Neji's son"

"with Hinata?"

"no, Tenten"

"Oh" That explains her agitation ... it wasn't a friend's agitation. It was a mother's.

Sasuke didn't expect the young Hyuuga prodigy to father a son before his demise, he missed on a whole lot of things during his quest for Itachi.

 _'Itachi would have made a good father, he would have made a lot of good things' He contemplated_

The matter of truth was: the prodigies of Konoha weren't marked for a long life.

* * *

He caught a glimpse of the sleeping Hyuuga as he made his way out. Her sister and Tenten along with her son sleeping in her lap, were sitting beside her as she struggled and fidgeted during her sleep.

 _'This cannot be good'_

He didn't linger for long.

Kakashi was calling for an emergency council.

* * *

By the end of the war, only two Jinchurikis remained, which meant in plain terms ... Two superpowers.

Sure Killer B was a nice guy and the former Raikage was a skilled politician and peacemaker

(they all had to be, that is what empty vaults, ailing armies and dwindling populations do) but the tension was ever-present and the grudges were never forgotten.

Subsequently alliances had to be formed and Suna seemed on relatively good terms with Konoha, a pole of the balance.

Iwa naturally sided with Kumo the other pole despite the former feud ... its rivalry with both Suna and Konoha was too much to be handled and Kumo at the time was willing to forsake the former's transgression ...

There were too many benefits at stake.

Iwa was never a reliable ally ... Kiri learnt the hard way.

Kumo would never accept Kiri on its side ... No benefits and an ugly enmity peering its head, let alone that once a nation is betrayed, none the less by an ally, it is branded as fickle ..weak ... useless.

And Kiri's relationship with Konoha was still icy, so they remained neutral, a lone state of sort.

* * *

"Have you known their affiliations?" Sasuke inquired

"They wouldn't speak but luckily, Gaara, here knows something of use" Naruto motioned to his friend who started to speak

"One of those guys was a guard in the former Raikage's entourage, we have photos and records to prove it"

Obviously, they didn't expect to slip up.

"so it is Kumogakure again" Kakashi rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"Can we put up a formal case against them, Hokage?"

"I will Hiashi sama, tomorrow in the summit, all of us will have to attend and put up a statement and see what happens"

 _'And uneventful Summit, my arse'_

* * *

Point one on the agenda:

The attack on a native of Konoha

"We honestly don't know what you are aiming at Hokage" The Raikage annoyingly countered Kakashi's statement.

"one of the assailants was part of your shinobi force"

"Which one exactly? Anybody can claim that" he retorted

"Our intel were corroborated by Gaara sama here"

"Even, we still need to see those people who claim to be ours, in addition, Sunagakure is your ally, it will have to corroborate whatever hocus you are saying"

"What?"

"In short, you can press no charge until we visit your prisoners and verify the story, maybe it is a slight misunderstanding, and a resolution can be put in order without much tension" the Raikage eased.

* * *

The old wound was clawed, ripped open mercilessly, it was raw, it was red, it was ugly. The once regal tall man was hunched under the weight of the past: the age, the responsibility and the grief.

Hiashi knew that Kumogakure's Shinobi werenot to be trusted and that they were masters of delusion, they had the ultimate unchallengeable power of turning tables, flipping coins and twisting truths, vitrioling them to mutilated entities and deprecating their value to dust.

They would instill doubts in the truth and will have their way and bend lthe aw by force if necessity.

He can't witness another Hyuuga affair ...he cannot lose another beloved one to Kumo again ...

How much can an old man take after all.

* * *

The visit as expected didn't work for Konoha's advantage.

Though they were watched the entire time, the party spoke in their own native tongue, nobody could understand a goddamn word of the gibberish said.

They probably had all their statements and official story set up.

They would weasel out.

* * *

Weaseling out was foreseeable, however the ferocity of Kumo's attack on Konoha threw everybody out of balance.

"I tell you, esteemed, Kages … The prisoners were all beaten up, black and blue, is this how you treat your prisoners, Hokage? provided you had any confessions, how do we know they weren't under the influence of torture, how can we assume they are credible?"

That Raikage was beyond real when it came to audacity.

"I tell you, this isnot true, they were beaten up, yes, because our citizens had fought back during the assault, these are combat injuries, not torture" Kakashi clarified.

"Which brings us back to the assault, our citizens claim they were trying to Help the distressed Hyuuga girl, what business did a mourning girl have with a former missing Nin like the Uchiha? They thought she was in Danger."

That was a low blow. He was undermining Sasuke's integrity.

"That isnot true, I came down as they were assaulting her, they were there before me, not the other way round, your citizens are Liars, we have the little Hyuuga boy as witness as well" Sasuke sharply responded

"My citizens are not liars, missing Nin" the Raikage spat with venom "Pitting your testaments against theirs, I am inclined to believe them. Besides, if the boy was part of the attack, if you wish him to testify, then he would be entitled to criminal responsibility as well" That was the heavy blow

"Enough, you leave the boy out of it. we have been listening to your crap for long now, Raikage and as patient as we are, we can only take up a certain much, it isnot the first time you attempt something against the Hyuugas, we know what you are after the byakugan." Hiashi blasted in his face

"Careful what you say, clan's head, we don't want this summit to end on bad terms"

The Raikage was threatening war.

"In short, what do you want, Raikage?" Gaara intercepted, he aimed at beating to the chase, cutting the Raikage off before he pushes Konoha further onto a trail of mistakes.

"I demand Konohagakure formally drop the charges against Kumogakure, officially apologise and release the innocent prisoners, we are also pressing charges against the Hyuugas, for slandering and we demand they hand us out the culprit and cause of conflict Hinata Hyuuga"

The attendants' eyes widened.

"This is close to dissolving the peace treaty" Kakashi cried

"We didn't say that, we care for the safety and the stability of the realm, you can do as we ask and serve Justice, and everything will be fine" he haughtily replied

"It is understandable Raikage that you care for the realm, however these are hefty demands you are putting, their outcome will affect the five lands therefore as Kazekage, I request we put them to formal vote" That was the best gamble Gaara had.

"Very well then, we accept Gaara sama"


	6. Reshuffling the cards

**Chapter five: Reshuffling the cards**

"Fine, a vote is in order, however" Kakashi conditioned "every entity a separate ballot"

'Honourable Kages, you would have to uphold the meeting for now, it is already late, the proceedings of the summit for the day are coming to a close" The Tsuchikage of Iwagakure announced

"But the vote ..." the mizukage interjected

"Can be conducted tomorrow" the Raikage resumed

Kakashi sent a look towards the rest of the Konoha delegation, towards Suna's, he searched their faces for a hint of disapproval before finally announcing:

"Fine, Ladies and gentlemen, we now announce, the opening session for the summit adjourned"

* * *

Ending the session before the vote was in fact a point on, they have time on hand to try to sway a third party to their line.

They would have to broker a deal with Iwa or Kiri if they had any chance to win this vote with a majority.

Kirigakure was more candid, maybe at the banquet that night.

* * *

' _The ceremonial banquet held each year in the honour of our esteemed guests'_ Kakashi sighed as he stood at the head of the table ready to make the usual toast, however he was interrupted by the booming voice of the Tsuchikage taking over instead

"Let me make the toast this year, Kakashi sama, may the five lands prosper and may the peace prevail, blossom and bloom upon our nations for eternity, amen to that"

Half hearted grunts of approval were returned by the delegates before the Tsuchikage resumed

"it really disheartens Iwa to see two of its greatest friends and allies, Kumo & Konoha falling out of each others favour, causing a rift in the nation's interest"

' _Friends … haha … my ... head'_ Kakashi laughed his heart out at the words.

"and now that we see our alliance and friendship at stake, Iwa here is offering a solution to this unplanned fallacy, if both the Hokage and Raikage accept our mediation …"

"That sounds promising" Naruto whispered to Shikamaru and Sasuke

"I don't think so … at all" Shikamaru objected whilst Sasuke nodded his head in approval.

"We will demand of our esteemed allies in Kumo to drop the charges against Konoha in turn that Konoha release the prisoners without the vote or anymore fuss"

Kakashi was now listening attentively, maybe they meant good will "and regarding our Natives, the Hyuugas"

"We will also ask of our esteemed friends in Kumo to drop the charges against the Hyuugas in general and Hinata Hyuuga in particular however, in turn we demand that you will hand us Hinata Hyuuga, not in terms of a blood right but as an esteemed bride to our respectable Iwa envoy"

Here comes the catch.

"We believe this to be an absolute best solution and a method to strengthen the ties of _friendship_ between Iwa and Konoha, in particular and the five nations in general"

Everybody was frozen.

"we appreciate your concern and your most generous offer, but what if Hinata Hyuuga doesn't approve?" Kakashi reasoned

"As far as we know from our envoy, Hyuuga is not spoken for, and nobody has shown interest, so why would she disapprove?" the Tsuchikage deflected

"She would refuse like in, she doesn't want to marry"

"Why would a Konohan refuse the offer?" Kakashi could sense the conversation with the Tsuchikage, taking a rough turn "or do Konohans regard their allies with such contempt and disdain, as far beneath them, Hokage?"

"Please, Tsuchikage, it is not like that but ..."

"No buts Hokage, we were presenting a gracious offer here, but obviously you are not interested, the consequence of that maybe hefty …we were trying to save a poor girl here and trying to chastise her but she seems to be completely unhinged and evil as the Raikage perceived"

"You can't insult a native of our country like that, Tsuchikage" Kakashi growled, lauded by approving shouts from Konoha's delegation.

"Tsuchikage, Hokage" Hiashi Hyuuga's steadfast voice cut through the commotion and the eyes shifted towards the clan's head.

The voices died down, waiting for the subject of the current scrutiny to speak.

"Tsuchikage, your offer is much appreciated however it can't come to pass, because my esteemed daughter is betrothed and her betrothed doesn't have the intention to break it off"

"To whom? Her late cousin" the Tsuchikage mocked

"No, Sasuke Uchiha"

His smile slowly faltered into a stern line

Lucky enough, everybody remained composed & poised

Naruto didn't utter a word and Sasuke's face didn't twitch

Everybody was stunned by the surprise.

"The missing Nin"

"He is no missing Nin, not anymore, he is a man of might, a Konohan and a member of a respectable clan and as far as I remember, he along with Naruto won us the last war, do you wish to challenge that, Tsuchikage … Raikage?" Hiashi gesticulated

"Fine, we call this a night then and move on with the festivities" Kakashi hastily blurted in hopes of containing the ticking situation, thankfully, the bomb Hiashi threw left everyone reeling out of sheer shock.

' _oh Neji, had you been alive'_ was the old man's rueful supplication.


	7. The burdens for me to carry

**Chapter 6: The burdens for me to carry**

The banquet was over; the ramifications have just begun.

"Are you out of your mind, Hyuuga? Did your wits just get screwed?" Sasuke was seething at the clan's head, who didn't budge nor did he seem bothered to respond to his 'son in law' to be.

Shikamaru and Kakashi were rather amused at the whole thing, and Naruto was still stung.

"Now, Sasuke, get a grip, the man is far above you both in age and in rank"

"The Hell, Kakashi. This man has practically implicated me in a goddamn marriage arrangement to his daughter, who, I am a hundred percent sure, doesn't know a heck about"

"My daughter is none of your concern" the man finally spoke.

"Really! I thought we were engaged, weren't we?"

"Easy now, Sasuke, we know how eager you are to go through with this however nothing is confirmed yet." Kakashi enjoyed teasing him.

"Now, Naruto, Shikamaru take Sasuke and stay outside the office, I need five minutes alone with Hiashi sama"

* * *

"Knowing you, clan's head, I can guess this decision hasn't been conceived during a sheer moment of panic, you seem to have mulled over it quite a lot, what were you thinking?"

"I am doing you a favour, Hokage, I am keeping your best ANBU homebound" Hiashi wryly replied

It was Kakashi's duty as Hokage to stay on good terms with all the clans in Konoha, balance them out and maintain harmony to avoid the grim fate of a civil war or another incidence of unfair ethnic cleansing.

Hiashi sama was a valuable ally when it came to that. He was a reliable man, reasonable and but not rigid.

Although it seemed his control was wavering after Neji's demise, still he was fighting to hold his clan together, fighting to retain stability.

"Hinata might have another say"

"I know my daughter well enough to know what she will say"

"But why, Hiashi sama, we could have simply said no and it would have passed, it is none of her fault, none of Konoha's"

"Is Konoha prepared to wage a war for the Hyuuga? Are the Hyuuga ready to be hailed as the harbingers of war and doom upon the realm? You have witnessed how bloody guile and sly they are, how can they manipulate and even lie to their advantage"

"It wouldn't have escalated that far"

"Maybe or maybe not, maybe not today, but next year, the year after, it is already the second time they try to Steal a , Kakashi, you know Iwa's offer was pretty much a conjoint ploy with Kumo to lure us and acquire Hinata's byakugan"

' _Maybe, I missed that tiny detail' Kakashi thought_

"I wasn't going to offer her on a silver platter, like my brother. Hanabi got off much as the heir and as being the youngest but Hinata can't, she can't stand all this alone"

"You think your daughter so mellow that …"

"Don't you dare, Kakashi! I now know well enough that she is not weak, she is not exceptionally strong either but again, she is not meek. she has put up with far more hardships than most girls her age could handle. She is just so unfortunate, every time she manages to stand up, she gets knocked down by another bout of tragedy she hasn't anticipated"

"Again, you haven't answered why?"

"Why Sasuke?"

"well, I didn't exactly mean that but it wouldn't hurt to know"

"because he is rogue"

"rogue?"

"He is rogue, unpredictable, notorious and powerful, the second person they fear after Naruto, the Jinchuriki and you know we couldn't involve Naruto in this, for the sake of the treaty"

"I remember _**'Jinchurikis are not allowed under any circumstances to be involved in inter-terrestrial conflicts otherwise the treaty will be deemed void'**_ " Kakashi recited

"They could have used that to force Naruto to relinquish, whereas there is nothing they can hold against Sasuke"

"Well, that explains a whole lot"

"Let alone the echoes of what happened among the clan, they wouldn't take to kindly to the imminent loss of the Byakugan and now that Hanabi isn't fully ready, Neji isn't here and my control is faltering. She needs a strong ally"

' _She needs someone who would understand, who would be strong but not cruel'_

"Well, the question is, how can we convince that ally to go through with this?" Kakashi exasperatedly questioned

"That is your job here as his former sensei and as Hokage. Kakashi, on my part, I am accepting anything he is willing to condition"

' _A tough night indeed'_

"What about the vote?" Kakashi remembered "We haven't approached Kiri's delegation for support"

"You don't have to worry over that, it has been taken care of" Hiashi assured

"You convinced them to side with us"

"Not exactly, but at least, I have ensured they wouldn't cause detrimental harm, Provided they stick to their word, of course"

* * *

"At least she is pretty" Naruto tried to console his friend, who side glanced him considering whether his words were of value to be answered or not.

Apparently they weren't.

"Naruto has a point here" Shikamaru bemusedly added

"Well, why doesn't Naruto marry her instead, after all she had a massive crush on him to begin with?!"

Naruto looked bewildered as though that piece of common knowledge never crossed him at all.

"Never mind, I was only trying to help, Teme"

"You would be surprised to know Sasuke, how much has changed since Neji's death" Shikamaru grimly noted.

* * *

A dumb stroke of luck was an understatement

He was coming to say goodbye to his loyal to a fault, dumb best friend, only to find himself in the middle of a failing treaty and a marriage pact.

The one act of goodness he wanted to do, backfired on him.

He had no gall for that.

And now that Kakashi was requesting his entry meant he has reached an agreement with the clan's head.

Whatever it is, he refuses to be a pawn in this situation

"Listen, Kakashi, I am not partaking in this marriage, that is it"

"Who said anything about a marriage here?"

"Don't play silly games with me here"

"I am not, you don't want a marriage that is fine, no marriage, consider it a mission, it makes more sense as a mission than a marriage after all"

"Good god, whatever it is I am out of it"

"Sasuke, the situation here is a dire one, we have Konoha's integrity and reputation on the edge, we have a fellow Shinobi's fate on stake and we definitely have the whole peace deal here on massive gamble"

"I owe all of the above nothing"

"Perhaps, but you owe the brother who tried to keep it all together, you owe your clan and we all owe a fellow fallen shinobi his cousin's safety and his clan's" Kakashi sternly pointed out "Beside, she really is a great cook" he added

That gave Sasuke a heart attack.

"Still, that doesn't sway me, I will have to leave"

"Take it this way, Sasuke, you now know pretty well that it won't stop at this, you know pretty well that matters are escalating fast and you know that we are merely stalling the inevitable, we need you here, along with Naruto, Shikamaru, Sai and all, consider this a final act of charity, a final favour for Konoha and its inhabitants, a means to saving all what Itachi had done, all what he had sacrificed for the safety of this village, for its peace."

' _How true are your words, Kakashi'_ Sasuke noted the ironic reality in his words with acerbic amusement.

* * *

His steps out of the office were heavy with thought,

He was a dying man; wouldn't it be unfair to involve someone with him?

Sasuke wanted to fade to obscurity, to be forgotten in the busy back ground of life rather than to be pitied and mourned by friends.

He didn't want to cause pain.

But the universe seemed to have another plan for the last surviving Uchiha.

Sasuke heads straight to the Uchiha compound, he searches the roads for answers, he searches for voices, long forgotten memories.

But he is the only voice in the road, the only one left…

' _What would Itachi have done?'_ it occurs to him.

It was always Itachi between him and everything, always.

Itachi was a man of peace, he wasn't. Itachi was selfless, he would have accepted in a heartbeat, even took the whole marriage deal by heart. He isn't sure what to do.

Itachi loved Konoha, he still doesn't know.

' _wouldn't it be easier had you been alive, Itachi?!'_

What does he remember about Hyuuga? Another question that came up on his mind as he swallowed his medication.

Wide violet eyes, diffidence, a prodigal cousin and a crush on Naruto.

She wasn't one of his fan girls.

Was Hiashi that desperate to marry her off to someone like him?

A man with water washed prestige, a reputation forged in murder and evil.

If he still had his clan, they would have rejoiced by this pact.

He doesn't.

* * *

It was dawning on them already; it was the day of the vote.

They would set off to the summit's venue from the Hokage's office.

Sasuke was in need to rush, they would have to wait for him, he thought with a vengeance.

All the delegation members save the stoic Hiashi were seething at his deliberate tardiness.

"well, I am here now, off we go" he dismissed unceremoniously

' _he could be such a child sometimes'_ Kakashi thought _'good, he is not entirely dead then'_

* * *

"God Mate, I missed working along side you, as pendulous, gloomy and temperamental as you are, I missed the competition" Naruto told him along the way "I think it would be better if you stay here a little while longer"

"If Kakashi told you to tell me so, I'd like you to know, it is very transparent"

"Is it? Cause you seemed touched, Teme, No , Kakashi didn't"

He was slightly touched, he admits

"Although we both agree, you and Hinata would make quite a pair, maybe a quiet, creepy pair, but still a pair none the less"

Now, he wasn't touched at all.

"Shut up, Dobe"

* * *

The vote was in order

The vote results were as follow

Konohagakure is to formally drop the charges against Kumogakure: Iwagakure, Kirigakure and Kumogakure vote yes … motion passed

Konohagakure to officially apologise: Iwagakure, Kiri, Kumogakure vote yes … motion passed

Konohagakure to release the prisoners: Iwagakure, Kiri, Kumogakure vote yes ... motion passed

Pressing charges against the Hyuugas, for slandering: Sunagakure and Konohagakure vote no, Kirigakure abstains, Iwagakure and Kumogakure vote yes, tie ... motion not passed

Handing out Hinata Hyuuga: Sunagakure and Konohagakure vote no, Kirigakure abstains, Iwagakure and Kumogakure vote yes, tie ... motion not passed.

Kakashi sighed with relief, much of the ordeal was over.

"As a good will gesture and a sign of good faith" The Tsuchikage's voice boomed again across the hall "Iwagakure would like to offer its most genuine congratulations to Konoha's Hyuuga clan and Sasuke Uchiha for the upcoming marriage, we were slightly baffled by the news the former night, but trusting Konoha's pristine status as a credible ally, a nation of honour and a protector of peace, we fully realise that the marriage is no political sham to undermine Iwa and thus we wish you the best of luck"

The Tsuchikage was again tangling Konoha, framing it. He was turning the whole situation into a political scheme so now if one partner opted out of the marriage, Konoha could face a whole lot of uncalled for consequences … This peace was becoming taxing.

"Thank you, Tsuchikage, your kind wishes are heartily appreciated" Kakashi replied

Sasuke understood the cue … There was now no out.

Konoha wasn't ready for repercussions, they weren't ready for the treaty to fall apart now.

* * *

"I am in" Sasuke impassively said

"What?" Kakashi was making sure this wasn't a trick of his own mind

"Why do you all look that surprised?! I said I am in" he paused for a second "However, I have a couple of conditions" He proceeded.

"This marriage pact is nothing more than a mission and I will have to leave in a year's time, so whatever required of me, be sure you have it ready, quickly"

* * *

It was too late, However, Hiashi had to visit Hinata and inform her of all that transpired.

"Why are you so adamant on humiliating me?" She tried to raise her voice, to shout at him, she was angry … angry at him, at the world, but she was still in hospital, even if not, she was a Hyuuga.

Hyuugas never raise their voices, none the less over the clan's head.

It was Tsunade who interfered fearing that Hinata would fall into remission, she injected her with a sedative as Hiashi kept telling her it was all for the best.

"What if I don't go through with this?"

"I won't force you, but I know you won't. you have always been smart, you know how to take a bitter dose of medicine when necessary"

"Why do you always see me as a weakling? why do you always do this to me? I have been trying all my life to please you, to prove that I am not weak, why do you always throw it all away?"

She was dozing off now.

"Hinata, it was never like that to me, not anymore at least. You aren't weak, it is just the circumstances aren't working in our favour"

"You and Neji, rest his soul always thought so poorly of me" he sadly smiled, a rare display of emotion for the clan's head.

Tsunade always thought him incapable of pulling off facial expressions.

' _He is sincere'_ she also noted.

"You never gave us a reason to differ" She said before she was swallowed by the oblivious world of drug induced sleep.


	8. The lonely strokes of the bells

**Chapter 7: The lonely strokes of the bells**

The chilly winds were starting to brew in Konoha ... the frost would be setting in soon … Konoha's winters maybe short but they were blusterous.

The lands were Niveous.

It was wedding season.

"You should smile a little, otherwise, people might start thinking it is Naruto's wedding"

Shikamaru gesticulated towards Naruto who was dancing his heart out at his best friend's wedding and entertaining the guests.

Naruto had the power to enjoy relatively anything, grand or trivial, even something as bland as a political wedding observed by a bunch of Idiots to prevent a war.

"It should have been his" Sasuke said in an impasse, as he observed the rest of the attendants, the Hyuugas were stoic at best, the rest of the clans were gossiping and whispering to each other… The bride's teammates: Shino and Kiba were muttering something about 'how the metaphor for impossibility has come true after all'. The little boy, Neji's son was standing beside Lee, trying to understand what was going on, apparently this was his first time to a wedding.

He was alone, kinless.

"But it is not , besides the envoys are eyeing you like a Hawk" Shikamaru proceeded

"Whatever, there is nothing they can do now, so let them seethe as much as they want, Aren't you supposed to be busy tailing the Kazekage's sister?"

Shikamaru sighed incredulously "Even You, Sasuke"

"You can't blame anybody; it is pretty obvious"

"Let's just assume that it is this bloody obvious that I like 'the Kazekage sister, whose name is Temari by the way and who is right now stuck with your bride in the 'off limits, no guys allowed' territory, why is everybody so goddamn determined to flash me about it like this? I mean Ino is practically drooling over Sai and the dobe over there is still holding a torch for Sakura, why is it always me?"

Sasuke masked that wee bit of amusement at his love struck comrade.

"Anyway, if it is really a serious thing, and for your own sake I hope it is, for Gaara and Kankuro will skin you alive otherwise, you should formalise it really fast, this whole affair wouldn't end with this wedding, this is just the beginning and as much as you may not find a proper chance to go forward with it again, Konoha will need as much strong alliances as it could" Sasuke pointed out

"Hey, Teme" Naruto ran towards them" come on dance with me, it is your wedding, after all, you too Shikamaru, come up as well"

"I will bail out; I am rather tired" Shikamaru lazily botched him

"And I don't dance, Idiot"

Naruto frowned.

"You know, Obito once told me that you Uchihas had wonderful traditional wedding dances, you should listen to Naruto here and Honour your clan's tradition. It won't be long until Hiashi fetches Hinata and all of this would be over with, I may even join you" Kakashi subtly whisked past that group of three.

* * *

' _If all Konoha's weddings are like this, then how exactly their funerals are?' Temari wistfully thought._

She couldn't feel like this 'thing 'was a wedding, let alone Hinata's, in fact it felt like anything except her own wedding.

Sakura has been eyeing her with an unreadable look, a confused look of someone who is stuck somewhere in between multiple emotions.

Everybody knew Sakura had an 'unrequited crush 'on Sasuke, more or less like every other female in the population of Konoha and possibly beyond and Temari figured she was trying to snap out of it and move on like Ino did.

So why does she look like Hinata stole something that was rightfully hers?

Or more importantly, did Hinata steal something that was rightfully hers?

Everybody in Konoha knew that this was a marriage of convenience, the poor girl never meant to 'steal Sasuke away from the hordes of fangirls'.

' _That is at rough patch'_

"Oh, look at you, you look magnificent, Hinata, you really will outshine Sasuke, I am sure" Ino squealed.

"Ino is right, Hinata, you really look gorgeous" Tenten added, trying to sound cheerful.

' _At least someone was trying to make it feel like a wedding' Tsunade and Temari groaned internally._

"You look more like mother today than any other day; she would have been proud of you" Hanabi smiled.

The strange Dynamic between the Hyuuga sisters was as intriguing as ever, even to their own selves.

Could it be possible that Hanabi the Heiress, looked up to her elder sister as the mother she lost too young? Was Hinata trying to fill that figure in her life all along, despite the borderline stinging rivalry between them?

That was the one moment when Hinata showed any emotion at all, when she smiled a genuine smile, bittersweet as it is, but a smile none the less.

A knock on the Door broke those lines of thought, It was Hiashi in ceremonial attire ready to walk Hinata to her husband.

"You look like a true Hyuuga" that was as closest to ease and comfort that the clan's head managed to provide.

* * *

Kakashi knew how to push his buttons.

He was circling around Kakashi, like a Hawk spinning a prey, his one arm spread open in an emulation of flight, his feet stomping hard on the groad beneath, that seemed to shake at the mere impulse with Kakashi mirroring his every strike. He suddenly plunged to the ground, then rapidly up again.

Surprisingly, He felt good dancing this.

This was the one time this whole wedding felt like something that was his, an Uchiha's wedding, that his clan was alive some how.

* * *

She could spot him dancing with Kakashi as she made her entrance.

And she could hear the murmurs of admiration from the girls around her, who seemed to be mesmerised by the dancing groom in his clan's ceremonial attire.

"The bride is coming" Naruto bellowed

He lifted his head as he was rising off the ground, to see what is going on, and for the first time since the foul ordeal, their eyes met.

He stood still, hesitantly drinking her appearance in, as she walked towards him beside Hiashi in small uncertain steps, draped in Hyuuga colours, Lavender and white emblems.

She seemed to look hesitantly at him as well, trying to figure him out, to find cues about how he is feeling, what are they heading towards.

He straightened himself up, ever the prideful, dignified Uchiha and in steady steps he marched towards Hiashi.

"You know, you should really be thankful, the Hyuuga is a sight to behold after all" Kakashi whispered behind him.

' _Maybe she was'_

* * *

He took her hand in his remaining one as they marched from the Hyuuga district to his house in the Uchiha's while Kakashi was giving the rest the hint to disband as the wedding was finally over.

They were now alone.

They were at loss at what to do.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Kudos if you could figure out what this dance was**


	9. An understanding of sorts

**Chapter 8: An understanding of sorts**

The house smelt nice, a redolence of Jasmine and Lavender combined, However It was dim lit, the moon was casting an idle ray of silver light and the silence felt so thick, so sturdy.

They stayed in silence for an immeasurable time, each contemplating what to do, before Sasuke finally decided to reach out.

"Hyuuga, come sit with me, we need to talk"

She left the common room with a heavy heart towards the bedroom where he was sitting, he motioned for her to sit down beside him.

He observed her, as he motioned to the spot next to him, her eyes held a certain measure of caution, submission and a natural hue of melancholy. She was hesitant, that he could feel and he could also feel waves of embarrassment practically reeling out of her.

' _I should have lit more lamps; she must be furiously blushing right now'_

She could hear him chuckle and she imagined he must be smirking.

She was terrified.

He reached for her hand and pulled her down by the wrist beside him.

"Easy here, Hyuuga, I don't bite, beside if I had an intention or aptitude towards anything, I would have had my fill by now"

She seemed to slacken just a small measure, but she was still fidgeting uncontrollably beside him.

"So what are your expectations towards this marriage?"

Nothing

"Hyuuga, how do you want this thing to work?" He repeated louder this time.

"I .. I don't know Sasuke-san"

"Look, I know we Both had to do this for the greater good and all, and now that we are 'officially' married and five lands, you and your nephew are safe, my due here is done, I would have left had Kakashi not asked me to stay and I think you didn't have expectations about me being your spouse, so it wouldn't hurt if everything here remains platonic"

She was both baffled and relieved, she did not find it in her heart to think about marriage after Neji's death, much less marriage to the Uchiha, she could guess he was pretty much the same when it came to marrying her of all people.

However, she was surprised he hadn't even attempted to … Never mind.

She knew she wasn't beautiful or charming enough to draw anybody's attention, let alone his & from his exuding arrogance around his fan girls, she knew his standards were high.

"Hyuuga, what are you thinking, disappointed much?'

"Not at all, Sasuke-san"

"You mean to undermine me"

"No, god forbid, I am just saying that well. It is just that …"

' _She is so easily flappable' He chuckled again_

"It is fine, Hyuuga, we will consider this a 'mission' of sorts until we can resolve the situation, OK?"

"OK, I guess"

' _He has a very morbid sense of Humour'_ she noted

"so now to my terms: you don't use the Byakugan when I am around, you can go wherever you want but give me a hint about where you are heading for security reasons as foes could still be lurking around. My stash of personal belongings are off limits, whatever happens in this house, stays in this house and last, if you have any leniency towards any body, I expect that you would respect me enough to push it aside until this issue is resolved" He tersely stated _'It won't be long, any way'._

She looked slightly offended

"We, Hyuuga, respect marriage terms enough to know when we should drop out our leniencies, your terms are fair and I shall stick to them"

She sounded almost indignant

' _Even shy Hinata has the Hyuuga Pride'_

"Good. Now, How about yours?" Sasuke continued

"huh?"

"Your terms?"

She didn't have any expectations to begin with, let alone terms. Sasuke entirely took her by surprise.

"I see you have no terms here, any way those term applies both ways"

"No "she blurted "I have two terms"

"And they are"

"Tama is free to come and visit any time"

He smiled a little

"Of course, not just your nephew, anybody you want, but you let me know first"

"And you never force me to do anything I don't want at all"

"Fair enough" he resumed "Now to the lodging arrangements, you will use this room during your stay, and I will use the one next door, goodnight Hyuuga"

"Goodnight Sasuke-San"

That went unexpectedly well …

Clinical but much better than they both expected.

* * *

He jolted up to a strange smell, wondering where on earth he was.

 _'Home'_

He almost forgot.

It is a mixture of aromas wafting through the house,coming from the kitchen, and contained sounds of pots and plates being taken & put on counters and stoves.

She stood there humming softly, utterly consumed in her cooking.

It was eerily familiar. He was forcibly willing himself to forget, to ignore the similarities between this scene and another one he was part of along time ago.

"What are you doing?"

She stumbled, almost dropping whatever she was holding.

Startling her is becoming his new favorite past time.

"Good morning Sasuke-san, I was making breakfast"

"I see, bakeries as well, you must have woken up very early"

"I am a Diurnal person"

He was rather nocturnal.

"Well, hand me the plates"

"What?!" her gaze drifted to his one arm.

"The plates, Hyuuga, I can carry a couple of plates with my hand, quickly, it is too warm in here"

He was helping her setting the table.

* * *

Admittedly, she cooked so well.

Sasuke learnt to scrap a couple of meals himself, being alone and all and they were fairly edible yet nothing came close to this.

"Don't cook again, Hyuuga"

She was mortified.

"Otherwise we won't be able to stay in shape"

He seemed to want to ascertain that his sense of Humor was terrible, she thought. Wait a minute, that was like the second time he was actually joking, more so giving her a backhanded compliment on her cooking! was she just professing that the Sasuke Uchiha, the brooding Sasuke Uchiha had a sense of Humor?!

Stranger things have happened, thinking about it now, the whole thing was surreal, he was surreal.

Was he always like that? Then why was he always branded as an ice prince? Sure, he was not as overt as Naruto or did not seem to try like Sai but ...

Anyway, that was too much to analyze, and she had been close for only a little while.

"You did not try the cinnamon rolls" she gestured towards one

"As tempting as they smell, I have an aversion to sweets, I am more on the savoury side"

He developed a biased aversion to most things Itachi liked, not just sweets.

She smiled, a genuine smile at that that before she resumed

"I see, we can try to sway you away from this aversion, You can basically try them with something bitter like black coffee or tea to break the edge of sweetness much like we did with Neji" he could feel her voice quivering just a little bit before she quickly recovered.

"I am done; I will handle the plates this time" she hurried to the kitchen

* * *

She swore to herself that she would try to forget, try to move on and she didn't mean to trip but anyway she takes seems to lead back to something about Neji, an attribution of sorts, the memory of Neji soaks through her very being and as much as she wants to spare herself the pain of the memory & the guilt of putting him on the line, the guilt of her living. As

much as she wants to forget, in equal measure, she wants to remember, she is terrified his memory might slip away oneday, his voice which was always resonating in her head was already fading, becoming distant like dreams when you wake up, like unclear brush strokes on a faded canva, she wants to hold onto him, she wants to keep him alive in her memory, her childhood companion, her loyal brave cousin.

Tama helped her hold onto him that long, but now that he is growing, becoming his very own person ... it is becoming hard to remember ... to set Neji's features apart from his.

It turns out different people can never be the same, even if they are as close as father and son.

In that brief moment of relapse, she had noticed Sasuke for he was looking at her, Sasuke didn't say anything, He wasn't a man of many placate words, if of any, but somehow, the look on his face mirrored her own, if she was bold enough, she might have thought he knew exactly what was going on in her mind, she might have thought he actually understands

' _Maybe, I understand'_

Their wounds were still raw and by the looks of it, it doesn't seem they would close anytime soon.

' _Do they ever close?'_ she wonders, because she would feel Hiashi sneaking at night to his brother's memorial, his wife's memorial and she knows that Tenten still feels the pain of Neji's loss even worse than she does.

* * *

"So I am heading to Kakashi's office, you?"

"The marketplace then the Hyuuga compound"

"You will be back by?"

"Noon, probably"

"very well, then, I will see you later, Hyuuga"

"Oh, I almost forgot" She ran out of the kitchen carrying a small wooden bento in hand

"Take care, Sasuke-san" She handed him the box with a small smile

' _She was really polite to a fault' he thought._


	10. The fuss in town

**Chapter 9: The fuss in town**

She staggered behind Tenten in the market; for some strange reason, everybody was giving her a sort of weird look, an almost scandalising look that she couldn't get the meaning of.

"So? The ice prince, how did you find him?" Tenten sighed

"Well, he wasn't what I expected" Hinata recalled the events of last night, truly the Uchiha threw all her expectations at a wall.

"What do you mean?" Tenten became suddenly alert, she didn't want her beloved friend to fall prey to some fetish tendencies of a pervert.

"He was ... kind" Hinata said in a small confused voice "he just has a very weird sense of humour"

"Ahh, that you meant" Tenten didn't push any further, she glanced in the direction of her innocent friend who couldn't understand the whole purpose of the conversation nor did she find out why the whole town was rolling their eyes at her … A bride who left her house on the first day of marriage, an uncommon occurrence, that is taken for volumes and volumes of presumptions. She was suddenly reminded of Neji's overprotectiveness, his constant reasoning behind it, that Hinata was both oblivious and sheltered to understand some aspects about life, appeal and human nature .

God, she hated it when he said that.

For Tenten, there was always a bit of jealousy that she felt whenever Neji's attention would shift towards his cousin. He would laugh it off and dismiss it as part of the female psychology but still, it was always there, the shadow of Hinata looming down on them. She always wondered about the extend of the attachment between both cousins, at least from Neji's side. He would usually assure her that it was her whom he resides to every single night, it was her whom he loved and it was her whom he would spent his life with.

But Neji was gone now. And she still wonders, could a person love two people at once?

She didn't hate Hinata, she didn't blame her either but sometimes she just can't ignore that string tugging in her chest …

Tenten finally resolved that what Hinata didn't know, wouldn't hurt her. She would leave her friend in her blissful oblivion, people shouldn't stick their noses in other people's business anyway.

That was until Ino happened

"So, I take it he wasn't as good as he looks"

It was but a moment of puzzlement that crossed Hinata's features, followed by bewilderment as the hidden meaning finally hit her about what is happening in town. She went as flustered as a ripe tomato, then as still as a log.

' _Well done, Ino, now she is scarred for life' Tenten sneered_

* * *

In Kakashi's office, it wasn't any better.

"Why are you here today?" Kakashi started him in a barely restrained voice and a deadly glare

"Work?"

"The day after your wedding" Shikamaru was shocked

"Yes, what is wrong with that?"

"You don't realise the significance of what you had done, whatsoever, Dobe?!" Naruto was gawking at him with one brow arched up at him like he was the idiot not the other way around

"Let him off the hook fellows, Sasuke did nothing wrong, perhaps he doesn't like women" Sai simply concluded, a conclusion that earned him the dirtiest and scariest of looks from Sasuke while the rest of the group were choking onto their laughter.

That was the one time Sasuke was the butt of the joke.

* * *

Hanabi's excitement was quickly replaced by frustration … Hinata was speaking of nothing important.

"You shouldn't be here today, Hinata" It came out harsher than Hiashi intended, they were men of status and reputation, Image mattered to them.

"I didn't know I shouldn't" she chastised herself

His thoughts shifted towards a darker lane, "He didn't hurt you, did he?" He was now concerned about her well being.

"No, on the contrary, he is a good man" she quickly clarified

"I see, it is still your home, you are welcome to come here anytime you want, to even bring him with you" He assured her kindly, a partial apology for earlier "Hinata, there are somethings that I want to discuss with you, not today though, but they are matters of grave importance" He shifted his tone towards that of extreme seriousness

' _it is something regarding the clan' she realised_

* * *

"So, I take it that there is no ominous news from neither Iwa nor Kumo" Sasuke inquired

"Nothing new, it is still too early to know anything, it has been like a couple of weeks or so since the summit" Kakashi replied

"Nothing from Suna as well"

"No"

"Anyway, we should keep our eyes open in case anything happens, Kakashi"

"Of course, Sasuke, however, right now, I want you to go back to your house"

"I don't w.."

"There is nothing for you to do here right now, already you have realised that you have unintentionally broken the village's lore by coming here today"

"To the hell with tradition, Kakashi" Sasuke gritted

"To a thousand hell, however, it is not just about you anymore, it is about Hinata as well, don't tell me she went out too"

"Well, nobody told the both of us about that golden rule" Sasuke defensively stated

' _That is an unspeakable rule, most intelligent of pairs'_

"Our mistake, now hurry up, go home" Kakaski ordered "And Sasuke" he turned his head back towards the Hokage and the rest "You can leave the bento box over here if you please, we don't want you to carry the weight of it twice along the road"

A suggestion that brought a wide smile across Shikamaru and Naruto's faces

"Gluttonous fools" He muttered as he left the wooden box on the first surface he found

* * *

He found her home when he returned

"So how was your day?" She asked

"Normal, yours?"

"Uneventful" she stated in what would be the last specific personal exchange between them for the day.


	11. Repercussions of the affair

**Chapter 10: Repercussions of the affair**

The first time she stumbled upon a memory of his was during stacking some of her clothes in one of the drawers.

She found a dust bitten picture frame made of dark mahogany where a rigid photograph was put.

There were four people in this photograph.

A stoic father, an awkward solemn teen, a gentle looking burdened mother and a smiling child, with bizarre hair, twinkling eyes and a mischievous smile, striking the funniest of poses.

 _'He looks like his mother'_

She dusted the frame, then rested it on a cabinet nearby the entrance.

And when he came home, it took his eyes for a nick of time, he stopped and looked so intently as if he was trying to recognize the people in the picture, to recall who they are. His face was unreadable; He did not comment.

She would later notice the frame gone ...

She would not bring it up.

She wouldn't know what to say anyway. They spend most of their time in stretches and stretches of precautious silence and tentative glances.

She vaguely remembers a fleeting time so long ago when she was happy, a time when her mother & uncle were alive, when Neji wasn't yet soured, when she wasn't shut out.

A time before the first Hyuuga affair and she wonders if he had been the same before the Uchiha massacre.

She wonders because now his eyes speak of a man who seems to know no bliss.

* * *

He is greeted by a foreign sight at home. Hinata, soothing a distraught Tenten, a reverse of the expectable in most case scenarios...

He splutters a little, acknowledging the both of them with a curt nod before retiring to his room.

Shortly after, they would abruptly end whatever conversation they were having when he made his presence known.

He does not pry nor does he give it much thought.

* * *

At dinner, she gets hold of herself, gathers the hems of her courage and asks him to Tell her about his clan.

It was quite an unpredictable starter to the conversation and a very lousy one to her credit.

"My clan is none of your concern" He scoffs, effectively ending the upstarted conversation firsthand. She does not speak for the rest of dinner.

* * *

Later that night, however, as he patrols the house, he would hear her whimpering and mumbling in her sleep.

He would do nothing. He has been kind enough already.

He was not above terrors himself, however, he does not grumble in his sleep. His throat is constricted; his voice is muted.

Sleep is his own personal Izanami, a tortuous genjutsu, a curse where he watches his entire life through a looking glass, unable to do anything. Helplessly staring in a somber well of memories.

Staring into the Sharingan of a dying Itachi.

* * *

Breakfast, the next day was a little too stiff for his liking.

Maybe he was a jerk earlier, but she shouldn't have inquired, he mentally argues with himself.

It is not in her nature to ask about topics that don't concern her that he knew.

"Why were you asking, anyway?" he finally tells her

"Asking what?"

"About my clan, last night, you haven't forgotten, have you?" his voice was stern, stern but not malicious.

"It was nothing; I was just curious" she says through a plastered polite smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

* * *

And for the ensuing days, her nightmares get louder and rougher enough that he has to wake her up from her terror laden sleep.

He hands her water then turns to his leave before she stops him

"Thank you, Sasuke-san, I am sorry to have waken you up from your sleep at such hour"

"Try to either rest or keep it down, Hyuuga, otherwise, you might wake the neighbours"

They had no neighbours in the Uchiha compound, unless he considers dead neighbours.

' _His sense of humour' she might have rolled her eyes at him, had the whole thing been better._

"I am rather nocturnal, I don't sleep much at night, Hyuuga, now you sleep"

She almost forgot. He must be very stealthy, too quiet for her to hear him roaming. Or she might be a heavy sleeper. It doesn't matter either way.

* * *

It is dawn and he has taken his medicine and was now rolling restlessly in his sheets, he finds that he is just a wee bit irked about what is troubling the Hyuuga so much as to deny her sleep.

* * *

The epitome of the unexpected was when he found Hiashi has left him a message at the Hokage's office instructing him to come and pick Hinata up from the main house at dusk.

God, what was the man thinking, that he was his daughter's personal slave!

Nevertheless, he arrived on time where he was escorted by a servant towards one of the Hyuuga's meeting rooms.

He found the door slightly open making him practically hear everything being said in the heated session that was taking place.

' _Was that intentional?' he thought_

"You can't just seal the child's byakugan" Hiashi was exasperatedly arguing "He is practically second in line to clan's headmanship, in case something occurs to Hanabi or the main house didn't have capable offsprings"

"yes, but we were at risk of having his unsealed Byakugan along with your daughter's acquired by an enemy, we can't just let them both wandering like this with their Byakugans unprotected" an elder of theirs was now talking, unwavering in his resolve "and remember Hiashi sama, this isn't the first time, we can't just leave inept wielders roaming without a seal" The man was trying to instigate that Hinata was an incompetent wielder.

' _She has single handedly beaten two or three out of five trained ANBU of Kumo, something your pathetic excuse of a self wouldn't do' Sasuke contemplated angrily._

"We can't, esteemed Elder, but again Tama is a child, and a child so young and defenseless shouldn't be held responsible for something he didn't commit or cause, the both of us were ambushed, we didn't know the forthcoming and we were supposed to be in peace" Hinata was waging a fierce argument on Tama's behalf all while trying to look hardened with no apparent success.

The torrent of understanding hit him, why the old man asked him to come, why he was led here, why Tenten was agitated, why Hinata was troubled and asking about his clan… it was the elders.

She wanted to learn how Uchihas managed their internal affairs.

' _Bloody fool' he didn't know to whom he was referring at the moment; her or himself._

He proceeded to observe silently as She, Hanabi and Hiashi tried handling the situation on hand and from the looks of it, they were partially successful in swaying the council's mind just a little bit from branding at least Tama with the seal.

But the elders seemed adamant on sealing Hinata's Byakugan and they were losing the fight on her behalf.

"We shall have her byakugan sealed, that is for the better" An elder announced

Now was time to intervene.

"No, you won't" The whole gathering froze at the sound of his voice.

His entrance was sleek, elegant, however he was wearing an expression that was really intimidating, so unpleasant that tit took the Council a few minutes to recover from the very shock of him.

"and why do you have a saying in this? It is none of your business, Uchiha"

"It is all my business, elder" Sasuke hissed "She is my wife, neither I nor her want to have her branded by the seal, isn't that enough?" He added calmly this time, a sort of restrained eerie calm with an edge that unnerved everyone "As for the little boy, I think enough has been said already, He is the second in line, he is still young and neither his mother, his aunt nor his grandfather want to brand him as well. In fact, they can place him under Konoha's state protection where he would effectively be seized away from your entire clan along with his precious Byakugan and you would be able to do nothing at all. What is the point of your seal anyway that someone as lowly as Ao of Kiri has obtained a pair of Byakugan, did it stop him?"

"We aren't bound to answer to you, your interference is not tolerated, Uchiha, you can't stand against the rules of our clan"

"And the rules of your clan shall not clash with the rules of mine, we, Uchihas, don't tolerate people humiliating our women"

"You are a one man, Uchiha, totally on your own, Shall I remind you?"

"No, I remember so well, it is you who should be reminded what happens when one Uchiha gets provoked" he sneered. Sasuke turned the insinuation on them, in a very subtle threat, a threat they seemed to take for real.

"Hinata, let's get going, we are already late"

The tone of his voice was daring the council to refute him, something they were either too stunned or too wise to do.

She eagerly nodded her approval before standing up, saluting the council and heading somewhere to retrieve a huddled sleeping Tama and Tenten as to drop them off on their way.

* * *

The journey to the house was heavy with anticipation. She didn't know how he would react to the events that transpired today, if he would be mad or if he would shrug it off like it never happened as he habitually does.

She never expected that once they would set foot in the house, he would erupt in laughter.

"The constipated look on your elders' faces was priceless, Hyuuga. And by the way, I noticed you were trying to look intimidating, never ever do it again! you end up looking no more intimidating that a rabbit or a fawn at most, it is not your forte, stick with firm"

She was mesmerized by the sight.

Sasuke Uchiha was laughing, no mockery, no bitterness or emptiness, he was genuinely laughing.

' _You should do that more often'_

He caught up with himself eventually and instantly he halted as if he had done something he shouldn't have done.

She dropped her head as she knelt down before him, with bleary eyes filled with immeasurable volume of gratitude and appreciation

"I can't thank you enough for what you have done for me or Tama or Neji, for my entire family, today, Sasuke-san. I can't find capable words, I owe you an immense debt, a hefty sum, that I can never repay even for the life of me"

It was his turn to be stunned. He was thrown off balance by her gratitious supplication , the way her eyes were conveying so much, all the raw emotions floating in her orbs, enveloping himself, drowning his soul.

At the moment, he remembered what he has always heard , the lengths and lengths of praise about the Byakugan.

He has always heard poems and prose describing its enthralling beauty, the might of it.

And Never had he assumed them to be true, he always discarded them as the weavings of some deluded lovesick fool.

At the moment, He can attest to one thing, no byakugan has ever been as beautiful as hers right now.

All the litanies and spiels about the Byakugan have materialised and come true before his very eyes.

And He is tongue tied.

' _Snap out of it'_ he could feel the undazed part of his mind urging him.

He can't.

He stays rooted to the spot, staring into her eyes for a solid expanse of time before averting his, darting them away from hers …

He turns his back on her and marches towards his room. Middle way he stops, turns his head and glances back at her direction.

"Hyuuga, you need to rest, go get some sleep" he says before disappearing behind his room's closed door

' _God, what have you done'_

* * *

The repercussions of the council meeting were now the hot topic in the main house.

"You know; they won't stop at this; the council members won't let such insolence off easily, it is degrading to their damn pompous pride"

"One thing at a time, Hanabi. Right now, they are reeling but can do nothing. Now whatever schemes they have going on in their minds, they would have to set them aside for a while. we have derailed them, bought off some time, and a long time it is, I assume." Hiashi was soothing his young daughter who was now smiling just a little.

Hiashi could sleep properly this night, for both Neji's son and his daughter were safe for the time being.


	12. Hope & missing pieces

**Chapter 11:Hope, Missing pieces and those who are hard to understand**

Hiashi thought he would sleep that night.

He didn't.

As much as Neji's memory kept Hiashi alive, it also deprived him of sleep.

If sadness could melt like snow, perhaps he wouldn't tire that much whenever he closed his eyes.

Hiashi remembers having his reservations about Neji's choice of marriage. He wanted his prodigal nephew, his surrogate son to marry into a powerful clan, in fact they all doubted, Hiashi wanted him to marry into the main house.

But Neji, as usual went against all expectations.

When Hiashi demanded he gives him sound reasons, he simply responded that not only does Tenten love him and the same could be said for him, not only does he need her, It is also because she understands.

She can put up with him, a man with obligations and more; she is the only one who will accept him, a man with a seal, with a heart that is missing a piece, a piece she will replace or retrieve and give it to him in time.

When Hiashi asked him if he should try looking for the missing piece elsewhere, he told him it wasn't only about the place where it resides, for he knows where it is, but the willingness of the beholder to give it back.

Hiashi could understand every word, he could feel Neji's pain, all the meanings hidden behind his words, the distances, the oblivion and the resurrected hope in his decision, the hope to move on and be whole again.

That is why his heart is broken.

Tenten and Tama could have retrieved the missing piece, could have become his beating heart, could have made him wholly happy. Tenten could have sewn his heart together, stitched it and turned the past scars into beautiful embroideries, fond memories that he would laugh at when he becomes old and bent with age at which time Hiashi would be long gone.

But Neji died before Tama was born, before Tenten had a proper chance. Neji died before he could replace the missing piece or give up wholly on it.

Hiashi's only solace comes from the hope that he wouldn't let his grandson down, that he would protect him and wouldn't sacrifice him, or let him suffer like his brother or his nephew.

But his strength was waning, in fact he thinks he has none left, he thinks he never had any strength to begin with in the first place.

And when a man has no strength, he can go atrocious miles to acquire it, miles Hiashi didn't want to go.

He doesn't want to be a tyrant.

The other day, Sasuke fought the battle and won … Sasuke has reignited the spark of hope, Sasuke has protected Neji's heart and memory, something Hiashi knew he'd be capable of, something that he would be grateful for, for a long time to come.

* * *

The next day, Hiashi paid him a visit at the Hokage's office

"I wanted to thank you"

"Your daughter has thanked me enough already, clan's head."

"Of course, she did"

"Now that you brought it up, I assume Kakashi told you that I won't linger here forever to save you trouble."

"You may never know what can change in a second" the clan's head closed his eyes, his voice was lumbery, heavy with tiredness and wisdom that come from witnessing too much, witnessing a brother lose his life to an unworthy thug and a son lose his life in a blink of an eye to two wooden thistles... "Let alone a year, but anyway … Thank you, Uchiha"

' _This is something that can hardly ever change'_

"Although, I have a request" the old man resumed, "I want you to train Tama".

Sasuke was baffled by the man's demand, his desperation and feebleness as to ask him to train his grandson

"Don't you train him yourself?"

"I do, I actually trained Neji, Hinata and Hanabi before him, but as you already see, it wasn't enough, I wasn't enough"

Sasuke couldn't find it in his heart to refuse him downright, he must be growing soft, he groaned internally.

"I will think about it"

* * *

That evening, Sasuke was lounging on the couch in the common room, with his face flaccid, eyes closed and his breathing even and for a moment Hinata was fooled into thinking he might have dozed off a little.

This is as close to relaxed as she has ever saw him.

She had to admit, his face was really beautiful like this, no scowls or smirks, so serene, like Neji's, but still a shade darker, way darker than Neji's.

He genuinely intrigued her.

She couldn't figure him out, how he functioned, his pattern of thoughts, his emotional tuners.

She has heard a lot about him, made piles of assumptions

Was he really hard, cold and detached? Was he really a loner?

Because most of the time he doesn't seem like that, she could attest to that.

' _You aren't the easiest person to understand'_

And while she was absorbed in her thoughts … He caught her off guard as he usually does

"Like what you see"

"I …"

"It is Ok, Hyuuga, just don't get used to it" He smirked. He likes to startle her, her reaction is always amusing to watch

' _she looks cute when she is panicked like this'_

"I didn't mean to stare Sasuke-san, I am sorry if I annoyed you, would you like me to bring you a blanket? It is chilly out here" she smiled as she politely offered

"No, I was going to my room anyway"

In one swift move, he was up on his feet.

"And Hinata, you have no chance in hell to scare off that bloody council of yours, if you are always that polite"

* * *

' _What would Itachi think of Hinata?'_

It occurs to him as he falls clumsily on his bed.

Hinata was gentle, delicate like that friend of his … Izumi, maybe with less spunk.

God, everybody used to tease the crap out him due to the girl's infatuation, he remembered.

' _But did Itachi like her in return?'_

He tends to think Itachi did. Itachi wouldn't have hung her up, if he didn't feel something for her, something deeper than likeness or fondness.

' _Itachi would have liked Hinata' he resolved_

' _But do you like her?' his mind hit back_

He was too scared to answer this question.

Suffice it to say, He simply likes her eyes.

* * *

Kankuro was in town, carrying the news of numerous shady tenures intercepted between Iwa and Kumo, and other critical information and clues about potential security breaches in Konoha.

"It was pretty evident they knew the Hyuuga would be in the graveyard, she must have been overheard or watched" Kankuro informed

"That I agree with, which means there are moles in town" Kakashi tiredly muttered

That wasn't reassuring, in fact it was downright frightful.

Moles meant going to extreme security measures to identify them, know if they are actually indigenous Konohans, or simply visiting agents, all while usually failing downright, only to discover them through a mere stroke of luck.

' _A lot of hard work' Shikamaru wistfully thought_

"Kankuro-sama, do you know exactly what has been conferred in those secret meetings?"

"Bits, something about establishing a joint force and acquiring a Byakugan"

' _Why are they so fixated on the Byakugan? It isn't like it is the strongest of Dojutsus after all' Sasuke mused_

"Killer B, anything important?" Naruto asked

"Nothing alarming, although there are rumours about 'political reforms' both the Tsuchikage and the Raikage plan to implement, what really worries us now is the joint force, we aren't on good terms with Iwa, in fact we are historical enemies, we are afraid they are planning to raid us"

"We can't be sure of anything, they can be planning a joint routine manoeuvre, we have to wait for your source to deliver sufficient details" Kakashi responded

"Reasonable enough, Hokage." Kankuro didn't sound very convinced "I may take to my leave, now. I need to rest before returning to Suna at night"

* * *

Shikamaru's irritablilty was understandable that Kankuro was in Konoha, but it took a new legendary height when he walked up to Sasuke and asked him

"How did you find marriage?"

"Quite … Good, actually marriage sends his regards"

Shikamaru eyed him spitefully, now, he needed serious advice, but here Sasuke was taking jabs at him, he thought darkly.

Sasuke had no answer for that, was he actually married for real?

Anyway, the companionship is nice, he admits, in fact, Hinata is good company, she isn't nagging nor is she loud, she is wise and she really is handy when it comes to looking after the house or sometimes after him personally. It is easy to be around her.

But Temari wasn't Hinata and Shikamaru wasn't him.

"You can only know when you try it out yourself, Shikamaru, it is different for everyone, what does your family think, your other friends think?"

"They don't mind"

"So, you are set?"

"99%"

"And?"

"I shall talk to Kankuro before he leaves today, see what happens" Shikamaru announced

* * *

He managed to ask Kankuro if Temari would approve of marrying him and if he and Gaara would approve the match.

Kankuro eyed him up and down multiple times before telling him he should accompany him to Suna to meet Temari in person and ask her to her face.

Another wedding was about to take place in Konoha.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hello,**

 **I have been wanting to post an author's note for quite sometime now, however, I have been a little hesitant.**

 **To keep this short,**

 **1\. In this chapter, there is a line adapted from a famous bosniak song, the one comparing sadness to snow. Whatever line or expression I will adapt I will make sure to leave a footnote about its source.**

 **2.A thank you is in order to those who reviewed the story so far.**

 **3\. Critical points and some clarifications I'd like to make:**

 **I do have a problem with writing dialogues and streaming the events smoothly while writing, so whatever improvements you can suggest regarding these points would be highly appreciated.**

 **If you can find any words that seem weird or find more sound substitutes for words, it would be nice to refer them as to expand the vocabulary here.**

 **I don't proof read well before I post! I post then keep rereading and correcting .. A bad habit I can't seem to drop!**

 **I am not sure what lines of thought I'd expand on in this story. I am not sure about anything in this story so far (other than very broad lines), so if it gets too soggy or too bland, be kind to PM so I'd quit.**

 **Excuse me, if I update so often, but I am afraid I'd get bored and drop the story altogether, so I am rushing to finish it.**

 **I have no standardised Chapter lengths, some might be too short, other too long, so bear with me.**


	13. Autumn of Lament

**Chapter 12: Autumn of Lament**

She caught him red handed, rummaging the kitchen in search of left overs.

"You have been making a lot of noise, Sasuke-san, what are you doing?"

He couldn't take it any longer. It is a record, he lasted this long.

She was becoming as stealthy as him, a tie.

"I was looking for something"

She quirked her brow inquisitively

"Food"

"You couldn't wait till dinner is ready"

"Naruto has been sharing the bentos with me" he clarified

"oh, I see"

Naruto's voracious appetite was by now a universal fact in the five lands.

"You could have asked me where to find leftovers" She simply said as she effortlessly reached out and pulled the food out of hiding. "There you go"

The next day, she prepared two bentos "So you wouldn't raid the kitchen" she smugly said "and Sasuke-san, you can invite Naruto over here for a meal by the end of the week, if you want"

Something was pounding inside Sasuke's head, it was growling incoherently with foreign thoughts, foreign feelings he couldn't understand. It was growling _'mine'_

* * *

He kept contemplating whether he should invite Naruto over as she suggested or just drop it off.

' _Did she want to see him that much?'_

He felt his pride and ardency itch.

And he felt the voice in his head claiming her to be his intensify.

In fact, he was torn between this voice and another voice telling him it was none of his business, that he shouldn't care.

She had done nothing salacious so far, and had respected the pacts of their agreement to the utmost.

Why did he feel this way?

In the end he decided to extend the invitation to his friend, to spite the incessant voice in his head and quell this irrational feeling of possessiveness whenever Hinata is involved before it turns into an attachment he'd regret.

' _Isn't it a little bit too late for that?' he could feel his mind taunting him_

* * *

His mind was stirring the entire evening. This dinner wasn't an easy tenure.

He could observe How easily her smile would rise in Naruto's presence, how her eyes would shine with amusement whenever he'd crack a joke or reenact a story or randomly blabber.

"You have like a wonderful terrace, Hinata, overlooking a spacious lot, you never considered planting some flowers or setting up a garden or whatever, Most of the snow has thawed already"

"I'd love to Naruto-kun"

"so, what do you have in mind, I know Teme here isn't into this kind of things"

Sasuke wanted to contradict, in fact he wanted to tell the dobe to drop the matter altogether and wrap up before his patience runs out and he does something stupid. However, he couldn't find it in him to utter a word, he ignored his best friend and counterpart, feigned disinterest and swallowed the searing jealousy down with some soap.

"I'd like to plant some sunflowers … some jasmine … some lilies"

"No, lavenders?! I thought they were your favourites" Naruto resumed

' _How would he know that' he gritted_

"Yes, some lavenders too and a blossom, an almond blossom, and you, Sasuke, do you like any specific plants?" Hinata now asked him.

"Mint, spearmint"

"Woah, hold on here, I don't know of that is the season to plant all those preferences of yours, anyway, I will see about and come back in a couple of days with the twigs and blooms" Naruto concluded.

' _Oh great'_

* * *

Any hope Sasuke had of the dobe forgetting the whole gardening affair evaporated when after work he called out to him and asked him to help him carry the bags of agricultural supplies and pots.

And now he was leaning against the window sill clutching a cup of steaming mint tea, watching Naruto monopolizing Hinata's attention as they arranged the plants together.

And as much as it riles him up, he admits they look good together, something that upsets him even more, he could imagine what happy life they both could have had together, if it wasn't for those stupid Rai and Tsuchikage, if it wasn't for the bloody Hyuuga council, if it wasn't for him, and his impeccable timing.

' _They are both kind, they deserve to be happy'_

* * *

Meanwhile the conversation between Hinata and Naruto was adopting a very different turn

"So, why those particular choices you suggested at dinner? Jasmine, sunflowers …etc."

"Jasmine and spearmint for Sasuke. He reminds me of them, sharp, refreshing. Lilies for Itachi, Sunflower for Neji and Tama and the blossom for the whole of us" Hinata smiled as she listed.

"I see, so how is Teme over there? he has been nice to you?" Naruto inquired

"As nice as could be" Hinata averted her eyes

"Hinata, I know I am in no position to speak but I will tell you despite that Sasuke can be a little bit too much, in fact he can give you hell ,no understatement, with his stubborn streak, but if you give him time, he can surprise you by the lengths he can go for the ones he loves and I think he really likes you" Naruto's tone was a serious one "He may have communication problems, repression problems that all you great clans of Konoha have, he may appear cool and unfriendly, but trust me, beneath all this, he is far from that, don't give up on him" He knowingly affirmed

"I know, Naruto-kun" She paused "that said, tell me how are you doing?" she clumsily changed the subject

"Ahh, the usual, training, intern duties for Kakashi and trying to figure something out with Sakura" he sounded just a little less cheerful than his usual self.

"I hope, everything will turn out alright with Sakura-chan, I hope Sasuke's presence hasn't complicated your matters further"

"It hasn't. Don't worry, Hinata. After all, I am determined not to be a filler heart" he smiled, somewhat a forced smile but a smile never the less.

* * *

By the time Naruto left, Sasuke's bitter musings have reached the brim and were beginning to overflow.

He was angry, he was confused and he wanted to lash out at something, at someone.

"Do you still love Naruto?" It is a question that is spewed out in a cold, acerbic, unrelenting tone, an already presumptive tone that threw Hinata off balance.

"No, I don't" she tries to absorb the shock, to break off the edge of this anger peaking from his eyes and when she finds it hard to be done, she intends to leave him be for the time.

"It didn't look like this when you two were gardening together" He moved as to block off her exit.

"What did it look like then?"

"You looked like a happy couple"

' _Why would it concern you anyway?'_ She wants to spit out at him, instead she finds herself saying "we aren't a couple, never were, never will be"

"Well why, I will be gone out of here soon and Neji isn't here to disprove, is he?" He sounds slightly venomous, even to his own ears.

"Look, Sasuke, I can't get the reason behind the fuss you are making right now but whatever it is you are aiming at, you leave Neji out of it, you know nothing about him, you were away when he died, so don't wedge him into whatever it is that you are saying"

It was the first time he saw her riled up, she didn't look scary though, she looked sad, only sad.

"What is it that I don't know, I heard the story, all of it when I came back"

' _You would be surprised to know Sasuke, how much has changed since Neji's death' he remembered Shikamaru telling him._

"You don't know the whole story, you will never know. You don't know the days we spent mourning after Neji died, protecting Naruto and me nonetheless. You don't know the heartbreak, the pain and desolation, the nights, I spent hating Naruto, hating me. I hated him so much that I couldn't stand the sight of him or myself for months and at that time, I kept asking myself, how can so much love turn into such vehement hate? And you know what, I realised I never loved Naruto, I liked him, I admired what he stood for, all the hope, determination and optimism that he represents. I didn't love him, I loved the idea of him. Just like you Sasuke, we are both descendants of the moon, we only know darkness, chillness and stone. It is natural that we gravitate towards the sun, seek its warmth, its light. Does that answer your question"

"More importantly" He could hear her voice breaking "I understood it wasn't Naruto's fault Neji died, it was mine" A wave of lament washed over him

' _I Shouldn't have pushed that far'_

"Neji was my brother, my personal aspiration, everything I should have been, my mentor, my friend, the support upon which I leant, the pillar upon which the whole house stood, I should have protected him" she turned her face away from him in a useless attempt to hide, to reign in the tears that have already started to stream "I … It should have been me who was dead, not Neji. I spend the last years mourning the life I stole from him, he could have had everything and more." Her body was now raking, her voice hoarse …

"I killed him, I killed because I was reckless, because I was stupid, because I was weak" She was now wailing, falling like a shriveling autumn leaf on the floor.

He knelt beside her, huddling her shaking form, trying to soothe the sobbing mess he has made

"Hush, easy now"

It occurred to him the similarities between what Neji did and what Itachi had done, the parallels between each pair, how he always lived in Itachi's shadow while she lived in Neji's and the immense love each kin held for the other.

"You know, I never mourned Itachi properly, He is always there, present in the background, filling the recesses and voids, but, I never actually took time to mourn him, I never even felt sad enough. I resented all what he did so much that I didn't mourn. And when I finally understood that all what he had done was for me, it was too late to do anything, to even mourn" His voice was now quivering a little "Each single day, I wake up wondering if it was his own choice that he made or if he seized away the chance of me making the choice, choosing for me instead, then it occurs to me it wasn't even the right choice to begin with, it was a choice made under pressure, a choice Itachi was manipulated into, a choice he wasn't prepared to make, for Itachi was young, so young and naïve to make such choice. It occurs to me that all what he had done was in vain" he was wistfully smiling at ironic nature of his plight, the fact he was dying anyway and that all what Itachi had done was in vain."I am sorry all this had to happen, I am sorry we were too ignorant to protect them but again we didn't kill them, they died for us, it is a whole different thing, a paradoxical knot, selfish and selfless at the very same time."

It was her turn to look at him, bewilderedly, through heavy half lidded eyes

"Let's get you to bed, you are already dozing off"

* * *

It is dusk already. Rain is pouring outside.

She has been sleeping for a while now.

He stands against the closed window, watching the rainfall … he likes that distinctive smell that forms when the first drops of rain hit the black Earth …

It smells like redemption, like forgiveness.

' _I don't know if her plants have a chance to survive'_

The seasons changing is a strange thing, late winter resembles the fall so much ... the cloudy skies, the rain …

' _The cloudy sky resembles her eyes'_

* * *

When She wakes up from the aftermath of their unexpected outburst, she hears the faintest of humming coming from the outside, a hypnotizing voice she wants to investigate, so she drags her feet across the chilly wooden floor towards where the source of the sound is.

It is a deep rich voice, a distinctive timbre.

His voice.

He is singing along an invisible melancholic tune

 _'Autumn has returned while you are away,_

 _Cloaked in grey along with the lonesome moon_

 _My eyes do weep along with the skies_

 _I am reminded of you most beloved_

 _Those dark rainy nights of Autumn resemble your eyes'_

He manages to surprise her all the time

"You are up"

He could see her faint reflection on the glass window.

The binding spell was broken when he spoke.

"You sing so well"

"It is rather the song, an old hymn of the clan's"

He doesn't move away from the window; he doesn't face her.

"I took liberty when you were out and went to the shops, I doubt whatever I brought would be as good as what you bake yourself, but as far as I could find, it is in the kitchen"

"And Hinata" he resumed "Tell your father that I can make time for his request, he can visit here or at the Hokage's office to further arrange and agree on appointments"

* * *

Lying on the Kitchen table, was a brown bag of bakeries

'Cinnamon Rolls'

* * *

The night has set in and as she watched the last of the rain drops fall, she found the song resonating, echoing in her mind

' _Those dark rainy nights of Autumn resemble your eyes'_

* * *

 **A/N**

 **The Line Sasuke remembers Shikamaru saying was mentioned in chapter 6.**

 **The song used in this Chapter is adapted from a classical arabic song.**

 **Descendants of the moon, an obvious play on descendants of the sun.**

 **If things go as planned, other story lines will start developing in 1 or 2 chapters at most.**

 **A thank you is in order for those who have reviewed the story so far.**


	14. Brushstrokes on the canvas of the heart

**Chapter 13: Brushstrokes on the canvas of the heart**

Along the horizon, the whirlpool of colours, has already started to form.

It was twilight, the sun was bleeding its last rays of red light into the sky, morphing the pure white and blue into the darker burgundy.

He watched the small boy from a distance as he practised his newly learnt Taijutsus with the zeal of a student, a son wanting to make his father proud.

' _His stance has been corrected' He noted_

The first time they started training, Hiashi, much to his dismay, instructed him to pick Tama from his own house, claiming Tenten was busy on a mission while he along with Hinata and Hanabi had clan business to run.

Reluctantly, he agreed.

And as they passed the village's square and alley ways, He didn't fail to notice the glint of curiosity and sadness the little boy's eyes would betray whenever they passed a similar child with his father. The boy was already starting to starve.

' _Sly bastard, Hiashi' he amusedly thought_

The tired old man was trying to put him in someone else's shoes, in Neji's shoes. And he knew it wouldn't work for many reasons.

In fact, he wanted to refuse the boy, yet, in the middle of the madness he had caused by lashing out at Hinata, he thought it would be the best chance to make it up for her, to make it up for Neji's memory he so recklessly abused and witnessing the boy's eagerness and mirth at finding an exclusive fatherly figure to look up to, he couldn't stop.

"You are a very patient teacher, Sasuke-kun" she said as she handed him a cup of his favourite mint tea.

She stood beside him, watching her nephew practice his training routines …

' _She would make a good mother' he thought_

"He is a smart polite boy, really. He listens and doesn't complain or throw tantrums like some children his age" he remembered the attitude of a cocky whiny duck headed boy who stood in Tama's place long ago, when everything was fine and simple. "Although, you know, I can't help him with his byakugan, I don't understand how it works"

"My father and I will take care of that" she smiled "We were afraid his Byakugan power would be considerably lower, as Tenten lacks the dojutsu ,you know. Luckily, Neji's prowess made up for that, his Dojutsu is strong and will get stronger with training. His blind spot is even as small as Neji's and in the same position, third thoracic vertebra" she whispered the last words to the wind.

"Blindspot?" he inquired

"Yes, a defect in the Byakugan field, we keep it secret of course. Me, Tenten and my father were the only people beside Neji rest his soul who knew where his blind spot was"

"and now me, that is too much people for a secret, it is no longer a secret if more than a pair knew about it, including the owner himself. In fact, it is no longer a secret if its owner disclosed it to any other person."

"oh and there I was, planning to tell you mine" She wryly said

The corners of his mouth moved up a wee bit and he quirked one brow at her, in mock inquisition.

The conversations were flowing easier between them now, so much easier than before, than with all the other people they knew, even for a longer time, even for their entire lives.

He didn't want to linger much on this thought.

He put down the empty cup and headed towards room before appearing once more, donning his hood.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked

"Yes, Kakashi's, he wanted to discuss some important news after hours. It is already dark, I suggest you take Tama inside and wait for Tenten"

"Will do,Take care"

"You too"

* * *

It was dire business.

Kakashi was holding a council meeting in his house, away from the office where potential moles might be.

Naruto, Shikamaru, Sai along with Kankuro and the Kazekage were present.

"So?!" Naruto started

"Killer B is off the map" Kankuro informed.

"Your spies, they know nothing about his whereabouts?" Kakashi's brows furrowed. He was concerned.

"No, actually, there are even more unsettling news" the Kazekage resumed "Remember, the 'internal reforms' Iwa and Kumo were talking about"

They all nodded

"Turned out to be Draconian laws rather than reforms, they are seizing as much of the people's possessions as could be, the prisons are full with opposition. Some people are trying to flee but to no avail."

 _'They want more funds for something, an army maybe' Sasuke noted_

"The most important piece of news is that of Killer B's , we need to know what happened to him" Naruto chimed

"We will see how our eyes would fare, although, they can hardly function under the current circumstances, about Konoha, any luck at finding out about your moles?"

"Not yet, although we tightened the security measures regarding the travellers in and out of Konoha" Kakashi answered

"Keep your eyes more open, they are preparing for something and they moving fast" Gaara concluded

"We will see, We need to discuss precincts and counter strategies after the wedding is over . Speaking of which, how are the preparations going?"

An annoyed look passed between Gaara, Kankuro and Shikamaru

"I have never seen her more frantic in my entire life! she has practically turned the life of the three of us here into a living hell, in order to help her conduct the most perfect wedding" Gaara complained

' _That explains why Shikamaru has been up and buzzing lately, she will slaughter him if he wanes' Kakashi noted as he smiled sheepishly at his lazy apprentice._

"Anyway, it is only a couple of days left, so we will manage" Kankuro resumed

"Sasuke, we know it is pretty late and all, but we think you and Hinata here are entitled to a wedding gift"

"What?" Sasuke looked incredulously at Kakashi

"A wedding gift like the one we plan to fetch the bored lazy bum over here" he motioned towards a mumbling Shikamaru.

Kakashi disappeared inside for a second

"We commissioned Sai here to do it, he refused any imbursement by the way, the colours and canvas were brought by Shikamaru from Suna and Me and Naruto over here bought the frame, what do you think?"

It was a portrait of him and Hinata, at their wedding.

"It is all memory dependent, so some details might be a bit fuzzy" Sai interjected

In fact, as far as Sasuke could say, the picture was very marvellous.

The fact, they took time, money and effort to present him something like that was touching and impressive in its own right.

"Thank you, I am sure Hinata would appreciate it" was all he managed to say.

He wasn't a man of grateful words after all.

* * *

Her head was swirling like the tea leaves dancing in the cup she was sipping from.

Hinata knew something has shifted in her dynamic with Sasuke, something has changed but she couldn't wrap her head around what that was precisely.

She might have unconvincingly brushed it off with a dubious Tenten, who knew Hinata was lying through her teeth, but in her defence, she was confused, so utterly confused.

Sasuke was kind, that she knew by now, but he was slightly capricious and she couldn't exactly tell whether he liked her or not.

' _He genuinely cares'_

Or maybe she wasn't prepared to acknowledge the answer just yet.

She has started to understand him now, to work her way around what was lurking behind his ever changing masks and facades. Whether it was stoicness, cockiness or even harshness at points, she knew there was deep seated sadness, rooted in his very core and a sense of loneliness seeping to the bone, creeping under his skin ….

Sasuke was very much vulnerable, very human, more human than anybody might have thought.

The ice prince indeed has a heart, one of those intense Uchiha hearts she heard about in stories … it was beaten and bruised, it was scratched, jagged around the edges, but never the less it was functioning, it was loyal and it was yearning for somethings she couldn't quite figure out yet.

Maybe, she was starting to grow fond of Sasuke Uchiha.

* * *

When he comes home, she is taken back by what he is holding out for her.

"God, it is so beautiful" she whispered, awed by the sight

' _You are too beautiful'_

Sai has indeed invested insane amount of effort in the drawing that it seemed ethereal.

Ironically, at this particular moment when they are both staring at their images on the canvas, the whole affair seems real, so real that it tugs at both their hearts … arousing the what ifs , the dormant warmth they yearn for and hide under the wraps of denial.

Her eyes shift towards him for a moment, he is too engrossed in the painting or maybe in his own musings, she can't differentiate which exactly.

She now understands why the hoards of fangirls seemed to be enthralled by him, it wasn't just his moodiness or dark aura, he was handsome, really handsome in an inhuman way and for an instance she is just tempted to raise her hands and touch his face, see what he is made of, if he was real, if he was flesh and blood, not an ephemeral creature made of mystic stardust.

Instead, her hand slightly bumps into his limb arm before jerking away in embarrassment at what her mind had beckoned her to do.

He doesn't turn to her direction, doesn't look repulsed, doesn't question or blink an eye. He simply reaches for her hand, grabs it and when she tries to pull it back, he forcefully clutches onto it until she relaxes and her hand loosens up in his.

It only lasts for a swift second before they both snap out of it and release each other's hands.

They don't speak further, they have had enough awkwardness for the night, instead, he wordlessly carries the painting, locks it up somewhere along with other faded sepia pictures, distant memories of his heart.

This picture was too intimate after all.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **1\. I can't reveal or answer when his illness will come out or if they'd find a cure, It is basically spoiling the whole story guys :D , be patient ... the pace will become briskier in the upcoming chapters I promise.**

 **2\. Clarifying on Neji, in this story at least, I had this notion that Neji had a thing for Hinata, he knew she couldn't return it so he never really pushed in fear of ruining their kinship and making things awkward. However later on, He genuinely cared for and loved Tenten along the way, not as much as Tenten loved him, but there was real affection on his part. He was trying to move on from Hinata with Tenten, yet, he couldn't entirely relinquish his fondness of his cousin. He had affections for both.**


	15. Sisyphean Reprieve and Desperation calls

**Chapter 14: Sisyphean Reprieves and desperation calls**

"You ready?" he called for the umpteenth time

"Yes, just one more little thing"

He has been asking that question for roughly an hour or so, and every time she'd answer yes followed by 'but just one more little thing'

He was already bored! And he hasn't been to the wedding yet.

 _'Women, tardy and vain' he disdainfully mused._

At last, she made her appearance and he considered casting a sarcastic remark about how late the Hyuuga princess was or so, however, he couldn't. He was rooted to the spot.

' _Her eyes'_

The first thing he took notice of were her eyes.

She delicately contoured and accentuated the curve of her lid margin using Kohl and the contrast of her nearly white orbs against the black of the Kohl brought out the beauty of her eyes even more. His eyes continued to drift down her face, towards the faint blush of her cheeks now blazing under his scrutiny, matching the nude colour of her lips that look so plump and soft, then to the rest of her form fitting attire; neither too revealing nor too vulgar yet appealing none the less.

"Shall we?" She said in a small voice

' _Don't stir too much'_

* * *

The first impression that hit them was: too bright, too brash. Temari made considerable effort to make her wedding feel more like a form of retribution against Hinata's. Everybody was laughing too loud, eating too much, dancing too much. He was five minutes into the wedding and already his head was killing him.

' _This wedding won't be an easy venture' he thought_

They got separated soon enough during the muddle, she was dragged along by her sister and he was sidetracked by a bumbling Kakashi, asking him what he thought about the whole marriage deal

"Well, Shikamaru can venture from and to Suna less suspiciously now that he is the Kazekage's brother in law"

' _Where did Hinata go? She was just over here' his eyes wandered, looking for his wife_

"Good point, although I didn't mean that"

"Where is Naruto?" Sasuke wanted to pass his hyperactive, more likely tipsy, mentor to the equally zealous Naruto, he was in no mood for idle chatter.

"Don't know, probably after Sakura, but look over there, Sai and Ino, Rumour has it, she might propose tonight, and here is Hinata with Gaara over there"

His eyes diverted to where his wife was.

Gaara was talking and smiling widely, while Hinata's smile was more contained. He seemed at ease, more loose and relaxed than he used to be when he was younger, while Hinata seemed to retain her usual coy attitude.

Sasuke hoped Gaara's uplifted mood has nothing to do with Hinata.

"So, at last, I got introduced to the Hyuuga who nearly caused a war! you don't look like a troublemaker at all"

"I meant to cause no harm at all, Kazekage"

"I was joking, it is pleasure to meet you finally, Hinata-sama"

"Like wise"

"and congratulations for your marriage, forgive me, I know they are belated and all, but better late than never"

"Never mind, thank you, very much, Gaara-Sama" She smiled at him widely

* * *

Kakashi could feel Sasuke's attention being directed and pinned towards Hinata, and from the waves of annoyance emanating out of him, Kakashi felt this wasn't heading down a smooth ramp.

Gaara caught Sasuke's eyes from afar, He could feel him staring coldly. Gaara sauntered towards his former rival with steadfast steps.

"How is it going, Sasuke?"

"Fine" Sasuke huffed

"I wasn't expecting a diplomatic answer here, Sasuke" Gaara's tone slightly stiffened

"What do you mean?"

"You were staring daggers at me just a mom..."

"Gaara" Kankuro interrupted

"Yes"

"Temari wants you in her chambers, right now"

"In a minute"

Kankuro nodded knowingly to Kakashi as he seized his brother by the arm and took him away from Sasuke.

Kankuro would explain to Gaara the reason behind Sasuke's tactless attitude later, after all Temari will kill them if they destroyed her wedding.

Hinata made her back to him, and she stood there beside him silently, as he tried to make sense of whatever sentiment that has taken hold him.

' _Did she notice what was happening?'_

* * *

Shikamaru has been observing the whole mess from the start and as much as he wanted to see his blunt overbearing brothers' in law get pummeled by Sasuke, he couldn't risk it just yet.

It was his wedding after all and he couldn't be getting the cold feet now, right?!

He tried to take his mind off his own agitations by denoting the slight changes in both Sasuke and Hinata.

Could it be that his reticent pragmatic comrade was finally brought down to his knees by the mighty Authority of the heart?

He sure looked less stoic, less forlorn than he usually is and Hinata looked slightly more lively, the happiest since Neji's passing.

"It is time"

Kankuro was walking Temari down the Aisle.

Temari looked more feminine and more refined than she ever looked in her entire life.

"Take care of her, otherwise, we will kill you" He muttered menacingly as He handed his younger sister to her now husband

"Like, she needs it" Shikamaru bit back.

The nuptials were finally finalised.

Temari practically dragged a reluctant Shikamaru out to dance and entertain their guests

"We can't just leave _our wedding_ like that, just yet"

"No body is taking notice of us anyway, they are dancing and eating and having fun, Temari, that is just a drag"

Indeed, most people's attention has shifted from the newly weds over to whatever they were doing in the course of ten minutes. Subsequently,They were resuming and fully immerged in whatever activity they were doing.

* * *

"Aren't you going to dance with your wife?" Kakashi asked

Sasuke was separated a second time from Hinata, this time Ino needed Hinata's help with a 'wardrobe malfunction' and now he was being approached by Naruto and Kakashi, like he needed more reasons to be annoyed.

 _'Where is she?! I think it is time to leave'_

"I don't dance, Kakashi"

"Stop being uptight, try to have fun here, besides, Gaara might need a dance partner, and he seems to have taken a shine to Hinata"

"Indeed, he does" Naruto affirmed "He has been blabbering about how cute and how gracious she was"

Sasuke swiftly glared at the both of them before rooting his attention towards finding his wife. He could spot her standing among some friends, Tenten, Ino and Sakura, however he could see Kankuro and Gaara also nestled nearby.

He swallowed down the bile rising in his throat.

Kakashi and Naruto meanwhile were murmuring beside him, conferring and whispering behind his back before Naruto practically shouted across the venue

"Hinata, the idiot here wants to dance with you"

"!" Sasuke's eye widened before he turned towards the grinning Naruto and Kakashi who was sporting his most innocent smile.

There was no way out now.

'Later' he mouthed to them as he treaded towards her.

* * *

"You never danced before" he felt awkward

"I had lessons, courtesy of Hanabi"

"I can't dance" he slightly squirmed

"so, you will activate your sharingan in order to dance with me or what?" She teased

"Not to the extend, after all, if the dobe here can do it" he gesticulated towards Naruto who was now clinging to an exasperated Sakura "then I can, will you be able to handle me though, It is my first time and I only have one arm?"

"We will make it work"

He wasn't used to this much human contact, in fact he found it annoying when his fan girls would hover around him.

But she, pressed up that close against him felt nice.

He did not mess up as much as he expected albeit he slipped every once in a while, but still he was fine for a first timer.

"I hope I am not a total disaster"

"well, no major damage is done, you are a trained shinobi after all, plus you are stealthy, the number of times you sneaked up on me and ambushed me is quite the testament"

"You are just a little inattentive, but you are quite as stealthy as well" he replied

' _you crept up on me'_

"but you are seldom caught off guard, Sasuke"

' _You caught me off guard, unassuming, unarmed'_

They didn't speak any further. They found no need to speak.

* * *

 _'Ah, you have been conquered my friend'_ Shikamaru sighed knowingly

He seemed to have gotten a slight glimpse of the serene conversation that was going on , the way Sasuke would gently squeeze on Hinata's hand, the cued smiles, the eye gestures and stolen glances from across.

They were the quietest couple he had ever seen, quiet yet passionate and ferocious, maybe an attribution to the Uchiha's curse of hate. They were regal, they were angelic and they were captivating.

"So, I see you and Hinata are getting on quite well" Shikamaru huffed absent mindedly

"What?"

"Nothing, all I wanted to say, is congratulations my friend, it is late though, I should have said so at your wedding" Shikamaru chuckled as he marched towards his wife.

Sasuke was mortified.

* * *

"What is bothering you?" she softly asked

He has been long absorbed in thought, the entire journey to their abode.

Sasuke knew Shikamaru meant something, in fact, not only Shikamaru but Naruto and Kakashi as well and it was unsettling.

He doesn't like to wear his heart on his sleeves.

"Hinata, is there something different about me?"

"Not at all, why are you asking?"

At least, she was oblivious.

"Although, you did seem a little vexed while talking with Gaara-sama"

"He is an idiot" He simply shrugged, ignoring the flare in his chest as she tittered at his statement.

His affections for Hinata have grown, that he couldn't deny. In fact, they have surpassed the platonic phase very long ago and had been anchoring themselves deeper in his heart. In his defense, it was completely out of his hand.

And he was terrified.

The entirety of his wretched life after the massacre, he has been building frosted wall after wall, dam after dam around his heart, to keep people out, to live in his tortuous solitude, only for someone some way or another to slip past his defenses and aim exactly for his heart.

He couldn't afford more strings attached, he simply couldn't afford this particular sort of relationship in his repertoire.

He was as good as dead.

He has been since very long, since his clan was slaughtered, he has been living, if his animated existence could metaphorically be considered a life, on borrowed time.

He shouldn't love anybody, nor should anybody love him.

He doesn't want to hurt anybody; he doesn't want to inflict that type of pain he has been through on anybody he cares for, the deadweight loss he felt when he lost his parents, his clan, his brother.

And in turn, He doesn't want to hurt himself further.

"You have drifted off again, we are home" she smiled

"Are we? never mind"

* * *

"So tell me" he started after they settled down "what do you think of this wedding? Enjoyed yourself?"

"It was too flamboyant for my taste; although, I am sure everybody else enjoyed themselves, at least more than in ours"

"Ours was too gloomy for their tastes" he smirked

"In fact, I think they don't consider ours to be a wedding at all"

They were both laughing now.

"Well, we weren't exactly at ease with the constraints and all, but it wasn't a total disaster"

"Yes, in fact the whole lot of this marriage isn't" she agreed

' _Was she baiting him?' he was now eyeing her curiously_ , mostly she wasn't, however it occurred to him he never knew what her impression about the whole marriage was or about him was.

"I am not the awful husband you expected me to be, am I?" he smiled

"Not at all, you are a very kind man, Sasuke, more than you give yourself credit for"

' _You haven't seen me at my worst'_

"Hyuuga, you are so naïve"

"And you can be so dense and dour, sometimes Uchiha" she playfully retorted

"Careful, Hyuuga, I might put you in an infinite Genjutsu or something"

"You wouldn't"

"and why that?"

"Because, suffice it to say I won't do that to you, and whatever I wouldn't do to you, you wouldn't do to me"

"You like me that much, Hyuuga" He chuckled

"I…I don't particularly hate you" Her gaze dived to the ground as the small flame of sass and feistiness migrated from her tongue up to her cheeks, she was blushing, biting on her lower lip.

He didn't notice how proximal he was to her until his hand travelled towards her face lifting her head up, so his eyes could meet hers.

The dim lights were casting a gleam off her eyes, and he could see a hazy reflection of himself floating in her eyes.

He was trapped in there, in the exile that is her eyes.

His fingers moved towards her lips, delicately tracing them against his callous finger tips.

And against his better judgement and before the conscious part of his mind could kick in and reign his impulsiveness, he found himself leaning towards where her lips were.

She was looking up to him now, holding his gaze in anticipation and confusion.

' _Wake up, fool, Don't get carried away'_

He frantically paused and pulled midway abruptly "I am sorry I broke your terms"

"Sasuke, you didn't break any terms"

"But That is something you didn't want, Hinata" he was smiling sadly at her

"Sasuke, you are confusing me, what do you exactly want?" She found the whirlwind of emotions he was dragging her into frazzling.

Her eyes were getting watery, he hated it when they do.

Her bleary eyes burn him.

"Sasuke, do you ... do you want this to be real?"

God, He wants this to be real, more than anything in the world

It cannot happen.

"Hinata, nothing here can change or morph into anything more than what it already is, this thing can't get more real than that; I can't stay with you. I will have to leave Konoha for good in a few months or so, and I can't take you with me, do you want to live like that?"

"Then stay, don't leave"

"I can't" he whispered hoarsely.

"Is there someone?" She was whispering as well, visibly fazed, hurt by his rejection

"Yes there is"

' _It is you'_

"I am sorry, Hinata. I am sorry to have crossed the line, I promise I wouldn't do it again"

"Sasuke ... Wait … I .."

He poked her forehead one last time before he got up and left her with her battered thoughts.

* * *

He was leaning down the terrace's sill outside his house.

The air was chilly and he felt the chilly breeze would do him good for now, clear his mind ,calm him down and cleanse him from the aftermath of the events that have transpired.

He should have been more careful, more disciplined, more in control.

' _Idiot'_

' _At least she wasn't repulsed by your outbreak'_

"Sasuke"

"Sasuke" she called for a second time, snapping him out of his tolling reveries.

"Hn"

"Sasuke, I want to tell you something, regardless of whatever it is that occurred earlier, so you wouldn't assume the worst. Most of my life, I have always felt left out, lonely except for those months I have lived with you, I found more acknowledgment, security and companionship than I have found in my entire life. I have been genuinely happy."

' _So Do I'_

"I want to thank you for that, I want to very much, there is no one in this world that I owe so much beside Neji rest his soul than you. If you have to leave and follow this someone or this something you love, you can, I won't stop you but I want you to know that I … I care, I care for you so profoundly and I have this intuitive you do just the same. I am sorry Sasuke, I am sorry for everything that happened to you, I am sorry; you always deserved better, better circumstances, better everything. You deserve better than me"

He wants to tell her to stop, to stop touching his heart with her dainty lips, her kind words, to stop touching his wounds.

He wants to tell her to stop making it harder for him to control himself, to let her go and settle for the inevitable.

"Hinata, If there is someone who deserves the best of everything, it is you. For me, there is no one better tha …"

"Sasuke…. Sasuke" It was Naruto's voice, coming from the distance.

"Sasukeeee"

"Yes, Naruto"

Naruto reached their entrance out of breath

"Kakashi wants us right now in his house" he was inhaling deeper now.

"A minute"

Sasuke went in to fetch his hood whilst Hinata had gone to fetch the heaving Naruto some water.

* * *

Naruto could sense something amiss in Sasuke

""I hope I didn't interrupt something"

"Like you would care, Naruto"

"Come on Sasuke, I am not that insensitive"

"You didn't, now can we at least continue this journey in silence, my head here is splitting apart"

"I know the wedding and all" Naruto was unconvinced

* * *

It was an eventful night to say the least

"We just got word our agents' covers have been blown up" Gaara spoke "only two could escape"

"And the fate of the rest" Naruto asked

"Dead"

"So, now, your agents are out of service, Killer B is off the grid; In short, Kumo is lost to us" Kakashi gloomily concluded

"Naturally, we have been mucking around" Sasuke huffed angrily.

"And what do you suggest here, Sasuke?" Gaara was still on the offensive, however Sasuke had no desire nor power to headbutt with the young Kazekage. He ignored the Kazekage and averted his gaze towards Kakashi.

His face said it all, Kakashi had nothing to do.

* * *

Sasuke stayed with Kakashi after the council was dismissed

"What is it that you have in mind Sasuke?"

"I think I know someone who might provide Intel on Kumo"

"And who is that, I may ask?"

"Old friends, Kakashi, I will tell you their Identities when I find them"

"so?"

"I need your approval for the search mission I will embark on, I also need your approval on the funds , perks and refuge I may have to offer them"

"How am I supposed to approve of something I know so little about"

"You will have to trust me"

"and when do you want to start this search trip of yours"

"Dusk, next day"

"isn't it too early?" Kakashi inquired

"We have been late enough, don't you think?"

* * *

Dusk was the mirror of dawn, same faint light, same gray skies tainted with the shades of velvet and red ... Same crispy breeze.

They walked side by side in plausible entente, any attempt at starting out a conversation has been aborted, what could be possibly said after whatever it is that has occurred between them.

She doesn't know where she stands, where should she stand, he doesn't make anything easy, he makes it difficult to love him while simultaneously making it more difficult for her to hate him or ignore him altogether, she can't decipher all those mixed signals he has been sending

' _Why do you have to be such a conundrum?'_

On his part, he doesn't know what to say or what to do, either? He is at an impasse, anything he will say would likely make the situation worse.

Why can't he just act like a jerk one more time and get done with it.

He is selfish, that he knows, so selfish and stupid and as usual he just jumps head first and gets himself stuck in the most difficult of dilemmas.

He has set off on this mission quite hastily in order to evade her, give the both of them time to ponder and ruminate the whole situation, particularly her.

He thinks that the small ember of fondness she has for him will die in his absence.

And as much as he wants this, it pains him nonetheless.

At last, he gathered his courage and wits to bid her farewell "We will talk when I am home, I promise"

"How long will you stay on your journey?"

"Hopefully, not too long, a week or so"

"Until then, take care, Sasuke"

"Likewise, Hinata" He poked her head one final time before nodding to Hiashi and waving good bye to his young student.

She watched him off until he was out of normal sight bounds, before she entered her family's house.

"You look distraught" Hanabi noted "Missing him already or is there something wrong between you and Sasuke?"

' _Both'_

"I am fine; why do you say that?"

"Nothing, you have been absent minded since he left"

' _I pray you'd be safe'_

* * *

Their ancestor was now high in the midnight sky, He has been walking for hours, trying to get his mind off his whole affair with Hinata, only to find himself musing about the whole situation with her all over again, worse only to find himself musing about _her_ all over again.

' _Your shadow is inescapable, Hyuuga' He stared at the moon._

Anyway, he was just a short distance from one of the lairs where he hoped he'd find his former team mates with the despicable slithery snake.

'Hard times need desperate measures'

And seeking Orochimaru and Team Taka is his desperation call.


	16. To Catch up, To Let go

**Chapter 15: To catch up, To let go**

"I see you have rebuilt your … laboratory, must have cost you a hefty sum"

Indeed, Orochimaru had an uncanny ability to reinvent himself, to resurrect.

The establishment in Orogakure has been reinstated and renewed after being completely out of kilter, something Sasuke suspected, expected even.

He thought Somebody might have sought Orochimaru's expertise.

And with the Den restored to its former 'Glory', his suspicions have gotten a more solid ground … Kumo may have been funding him.

"Hah, my old friend, what brings you to my humble lair?" Orochimaru's vapid sarcasm combined with his slithery voice never failed to disgust Sasuke.

Kabuto and team Taka seemed to be both astounded and happy to see him, particularly Karin.

'So _mething is different about him' she thought_

"What, haven't done your homework, Orochimaru?" Sasuke maintained his icy glare.

"Trust me my friend, I don't know what your talking about"

"You have renovated, spent your life savings or got a partner" Sasuke mock glanced around the room.

"Ah, always so perceptive, just like your dear brother, Itachi"

"Still sore, he put you and your god complex, in lieu" Sasuke struck a paroxysmal nerve. After all, if Orochimaru wanted to play the pissing game, he was more than ready.

"What is it that you want, Sasuke?"

"Information about your most recent allies"

"I see; Wouldn't you prefer to catch up with your former team first?"

"I certainly will, after I am done with you"

* * *

Orochimaru dismissed the rest of the team. He was walking ahead of Sasuke in self assured steps, guiding him through the dark maze that was his lab.

"What is it that you want to know?"

"What are the Raikage and Tsuchikage up to?"

"Tsuchikage, I had no idea the Tsuchikage was involved" Orochimaru seemed puzzled

"So, the Raikage then?"

"When Kumo first contacted me, they didn't want to identify or affiliate themselves, I had to Figure it out my own, who they were" Orochimaru felt smug, smug and amused.

"He thought he could fool you, what a shame, still what did he want?"

"Upgraded arsenal, developed chakra control techniques, improvements on their emulated Jinchuuriki techniques … the usual stuff. They wanted to expand on their already impressive Research base."

Kumo was known to be quite innovative and advanced when it came to military research. An aptitude which evidently wasn't influenced by the losses and paucity of resources after the fourth war.

"Nothing of particular interest?"

"Well, they have been interested in the Jinchuurikis lately and Dojutsus"

' _The Byakugan'_

"What kind of interest? I need specificity here, all you have been up to until now, Orochimaru, was elusiveness"

"I have been in charitable mood today, Sasuke. I owe you nothing to give, in fact I am breaching the codes of conduct right now, something I doubt my allies would take to kindly, had they known of your visit of course"

' _Are they watching?'_

Orochimaru must have read into what he was thinking.

"Don't worry, Sasuke" he laughed "I keep good watch around my premises, no watchdogs are allowed around here"

Damn, the snake has been playing him.

"Have they been interested in research about the Byakugan?" Sasuke kept watching the test subjects, locked away in tiny cells, wired and hooked onto various machines and ryles. God, how he wanted to shut this place down.

"Kumo has always been interested, it has something to do with older research of theirs, I assume. I haven't got my hands on such papers though, and I haven't had a test subject to conduct much onto either, the Hyuugas, always so uptight"

' _Luckily'_ Sasuke grumbled

"The Jinchuuriki, then?"

"They have been seeking Compatibility studies of late, Chakra enhancements and they are seemingly interested in completely lobotomising their beast"

"What is that?"

"They want to completely suppress the consciousness of their beast while enhancing their vessel's. You know, the more the Jinchuuriki advance in modes, the more his consciousness is suppressed in favour of their beast's, resulting in the Jinchuuriki's demise, he wants to reverse this... They also want to abridge the steps to the sage transformation mode" he resumed

' _They want Killer B to be as powerful or even more powerful than Naruto'_

"And you have been helping?" Sasuke quirked his brow at his foe

"They think I have been" If Orochimaru was trying to convey something, it would have been that he understands. He understands the direness of What Kumo was seeking and the detrimental effects it has on the balance across the five lands and beyond.

Even Orochimaru doesn't fancy Kumo starting another war.

' _Outwitting you is an Uchiha speciality' he mentally smiled as he stared Orochimaru in the eyes_

"How is it going?" Orochimaru snapped him out of his bubble "How is it going in Konoha?"

It is a wistfulness he can't shake off. It is home.

"Good I assume, Kakashi is doing fine. Konoha doesn't change much you know"

Of course, Orochimaru knew.

"How is Tsunade?"

"Still the same, terrible luck in gambling, denial she is getting old, training medics"

He would have wanted Sasuke to send his regards to his old teammate and friend.

He knew it wasn't possible. He didn't pry further.

* * *

Catching up with team Taka was fun, not that Sasuke would want to admit it. He was fond of his team.

"So, you have been up to nothing since I left"

"We have nothing to be up to, remember"

Indeed, the band of outcasts and misfits had nothing to do in particular … No one to turn to … Nothing to achieve.

' _Poor beasts, much wasted potential'_

"And you Sasuke, what have you been up to? You seem different" Karin who had been suspiciously eyeing him since his arrival finally asked. She must have sensed something was wrong with him.

"I have returned to Konoha since quite sometime now. I have gotten married even"

Karin shuddered from the Impact, it was the first time ever in presence of other teammates to visibly get shaken, tense. Even sad.

"Excuse me, I have something to attend to"

Not even when he struck her to kill Danzo, did she look that sad.

"What brings you here, Sasuke? What is it that reminded you of us?" Suigetsu was now on the offensive.

' _Typical' Sasuke would have rolled his eyes._

Somethings never change around here

"A mission" Sasuke deadpanned. He then proceeded to explain his motives and the mission he had for his former team. He wanted them to gather Intel on Kumo.

"And provided we do that for you, what do you have to offer?"

"Refugee in Konoha, if you ever need it and good pay"

He was offering them home if they ever need it.

Enticing offer.

* * *

It was late, the end of the night. The rest of his teammates have dispersed, retired to their own affairs.

He was tired.

He could feel the cold seeping through his bones. In fact, he could feel his bones melting.

The journey was starting to catch up with his exhausted body.

"What is she like?"

Karin ultimately decided to come out of hiding.

Sasuke considered dissing her question with a biting cold response, something along the line of 'none of your business' 'by far better than you' or 'shove off'

However, something about the tone of her question or maybe the novelty of it halted him.

 _'What was Hinata like?_ ' he himself thought. Gentle, perceptive, quirky, funny. He found himself smiling against his own resolve at the memory of her jumping when he snuck up on her, of her exasperation when he rummaged the kitchen and the softness of her voice as she hums while cooking.

His smile caught Karin's eyes who couldn't but look at him both in captivation and melancholy

"Quiet"

"I think she is kind too, her kindness may have even rubbed on you"

He snorted.

"She listens that is all"

"Something that neither me nor Sakura did" she nodded in understanding before proceeding "What does she look like?"

Again she wasn't going to drop this off and he couldn't make out what she was thinking, what she was feeling.

He tried to picture Hinata, her facial features other than her pale doe eyes or her dark hair, her body build.

Hinata was a combination of childlike cute and womanly beautiful, sophisticated and appealing.

"Pretty" he curtly replied, deciding against furtherly feeding Karin's curiosity and possibly ire and disfavour against Him and Hinata.

"Sasuke, Are you well?"

She was now genuinely concerned about his health. She has sensed something awry about him, something being leeched out of him.

He didn't answer her, he shrugged it off, and she took the cue not to prod further.

Something was terribly wrong.

"Give me your hand, Karin"

She complied as he tookher hand and brought it closer to his mouth before biting hard on it...

He needed to replenish his strength more than ever now that he was leaving the next day, that the disease was tearing through his bone.

"I wish you would smile at me the way you smiled at her mention, once, just once for the lifetime of me" she

whispered.

"Karin, it is time you found someone who would smile at you & only you, without having to ask or beg for it. In fact I am thinking about someone who wouldn't just be willing to smile, but someone who would be willing to put up with your tantrums as you boss him around and beat the crap out of him despite being able to kick your butt" he smiled at her, a kind genuine smile that a comrade gives his fellow companion

And she smiled back, she accepts this smile, as the ultimate smile he'd brace her with. It is not the sort of smile she had strived to get out of him, but it is still a smile none the less.

She will take it as he tries to set her free.

"There is something animalistic and disgusting about all the other guys"

"There is something animalistic and disgusting even about me, not that you have seen it or you are willing to see it"

He felt himself blush as he remembered his last encounter with Hinata. Thank God, it was dark.

"An animal can be extremely loyal to his owner, Karin. It wouldn't willingly bite or hurt him even when having the sharpest and most pointed of teeth, even if it is dying, Karin"

He hoped she'd understand what he meant, instead of wasting her time.

Instead of ending up completely alone.

Close by in the shadows of a set of pointed teeth was glistening in the dim lights

' _Maybe, there is another chance'_


	17. Loneliness, home & the words in between

**Chapter 16: Loneliness, Home & all the words in between**

' _One .. two .. three .. Anchor yourself'_

He can feel the blood pounding in his ear, thrumming and throbbing as he holds onto the basin for support.

 _'One .. Two .. Three.. Steady now'_

He could feel his heart beating .. heaving and pushing against his ribcage

' _One … Two .. Three '_

He is nauseated, his lids are drooping and the room is spinning.

 _'One .. Two .. Thr_..'

The last thing he feels is a viscous trail of blood coming out of his nostrils ...

The tinge of copper in his mouth.

' _Itachi, At least, You didn't endure more pain'_

He has collapsed, has fallen limb on the floor.

And for few minutes he is totally out in the nothingness, He is braced with silence, floating through an epiphany of cloud like white, rimmed with the lightest shade of violet.

He was alone, splayed on an unsteady ground.

* * *

The villagers have been eyeing him dubiously and apprehensively since he set foot in the territory, they were muttering and bumbling, whispering as he passed by, not that he wasn't used to it, it was just the peaking intensity, after already starting to die out that slightly fazed him.

* * *

"What is going on?" Sasuke quizzically asked

Kakashi has already assembled the war council in his office as soon as he arrived.

"Something occurred while you were away" Kakashi sat him down and proceeded to tell him about the catastrophe that hit home

"A guard patrol has been slain off the night following your departure"

"That isn't the only problem we are facing, we have another one, concerning you, Sasuke"

Shikamaru resumed in an eerily stolid voice

"Teme, someone has been spreading a baseless rumour, that you betrayed the village and that you went rogue again and that you slayed off those night watchers" Naruto explained to him in a rueful tone.

Sasuke remained stoic, his eyes transfixed on the line his teammates were forming.

"We definitely know, it is not true, we have been countering the spread and resurgence of this rumour .Most of the villagers don't believe but a few of them… are still weary" Kakashi tried to appease.

"A Few?" Sasuke mockingly replied

"Ok, more than a few ...?!" Naruto said

"It is alright, it is not like I care for what the village says anyway" Sasuke haughtily retorted "At least tell me you could find and trace some evidence while I was gone"

' _Why is Konoha so adamant on making an enemy out of me? Crushing every fibre of acceptance and sympathy towards it that I try so hard to maintain. Why is it so incessant on alienating me and making me regret ever returning?_ ' _Why doesn't it ever feel like home?'_

"Sai here thinks the insiders might be former root members"

"It is the only explanation, the whole process was totally clean and precise, they are still implanted in the Shinobi structure and they are tag less, aimless with no specific allegiance. They could have been recruited by anybody. Both me and Shikamaru are investigating further" Sai interjected

He doesn't find it in his heart to care.

* * *

He demands, he debriefs with Kakashi in a safe place, a place that wouldn't be bugged and when he finds such place, he tells him of his mission, where he has been and his new recruits.

"Good job Sasuke, although working with Orochimaru isn't exactly on my list of most favourable collaborations"

"Do we have another choice?"

"Sasuke, I want to … Sasuke, I don't want you to be upset"

"Kakashi, there is nothing left in me to be upset about. I don't think Konoha reserved anything for me to feel wistful about"

' _Sasuke, you have no idea'_

"I am telling you this so your curse of hate wouldn't get the best of you, you may try to hide your contempt and cover it underneath layers of carefully constructed indifference, but you won't for long, you Uchihas are intense, so intense that it is always your strength and your downfall"

' _I have seen how much you can love, how devouted you are, I lost a friend to prove it, I have an eye to prove it' Kakashi Sadly remembered_

Sasuke took this as the end to their conversation, a cue to leave

"And Sasuke, you might find trouble at home, I hope you can deal well with it"

* * *

He regains consciousness and crawls his way up, sitting against a wall.

The house is quiet, too quiet.

' _It isn't quiet; it is lonely'_

She decided to remain in her father's house, among her clan, something he couldn't blame her for, something he understands, something he wanted.

So why does he feel so lonely?

Why does he feel so cold?

' _A part of you wanted her to come with you, selfish bastard, a part of you doesn't want to be alone'_

* * *

"Sasuke" Hiashi solemnly nodded his welcome as he led him towards the small council room

The Hyuuga council struck again.

In the light of the rumours that transpired and as a form of informal retribution against Sasuke's previous impertinence, they demanded Hinata separate from Sasuke.

"I want you to know that I don't approve of this, I don't believe any of what the rumour mongers are spreading but … I think we should lay low until the council calm down and she can go back with you"

His eyes drift across from Hiashi to the slightly opened door and he pointedly looks towards the shard of indistinct shadow standing behind it.

' _She is watching'_

"Does she approve of this? Does she want to stay here?" He tries to sound apathetic, inaccusing. It is but a barely noticeable fallacy in his tone that betrays him.

"Does she believe I did that?" He demands more strongly now

"I … I don't think she does"

"I want her to believe that" His voice doesn't even quiver now "I want her to know that I am capable of doing this, of doing more notorious deeds than this, after all, none of you have seen me at my worst"

A breath hitches in her throat.

It was getting dark.

It was time for him to leave.

* * *

He musters some strength to get up, to find some water or perhaps some juice to drink.

After he is more oriented, more strong, he decides to wash up from the dirt of his return journey and the wee amount of blood that littered his face and clothes.

* * *

"I … I want to return back to Sasuke"

"Hinata, I understand what you are thinking but the council, the villagers …."

"Everybody is shunning him out, I can't leave him alone as well, he doesn't deserve that"

"The council .."

"The council wants to ouster our house from the leadership, father, nothing is going to change that …

Separating from Sasuke doesn't work in our favour, he is our best Gamble, besides, I no longer answer to the bloody council"

It was Hiashi's turn to look slightly amused, a knowing look was exchanged between him and Hanabi. Sasuke's rebellious streak was sure rubbing off his obedient daughter.

"What if I tell you, it is me who wants you to stay?"

She takes a deep breath before she resolutely answers "I don't answer to you as well"

' _Maybe it was rubbing on too much' Hanabi squinted at her older sister._

* * *

The lukewarm water has done him fine.

He felt more refreshed, more clean.

Sasuke eyed his reflection in the mirror, he was the same on the outside, barely any different. Maybe, the black under his eyes was more pronounced now.

He looked slightly paler not that anybody could notice against his alabaster complexion.

He wasn't so emaciated as well, not at this stage at least.I

Ironic how innocent & healthy he might look to an ignorant passerby.

It was the persistent knocking on his front door that roused him out of his musings.

"Dammit, probably the dobe" he mumbled under his breath

"Sasuke, open up" her muffled voice came from behind the closed door.

He couldn't believe his ears.

* * *

He doesn't know how he reached the door, how he opened it up for her.

He stiffens for a split second then he doesn't know why he is holding her so tightly in his arms, pressing her head against his bare torso, holding onto her in his own embrace like she is fading lifeline.

"You didn't wait to hear my answer to your questions, Sasuke"

He is standing still, he doesn't find it in him to speak, to utter the smallest of voices. He doesn't want to wake up, if he is sleeping.

He doesn't want to shatter the illusion his mind is weaving, if he is passed out.

"I may not have seen you at your worst, but I have seen you at your best."

She cranes her neck slightly to him as she smiles "I choose you, Sasuke, I will always choose you"

* * *

 _'She is home Now'_

Hiashi deactivated his Byakugan. His daughter has reached home safe and sound.

* * *

He didn't realise when exactly did he release her or why was she blushing so hard or what is exactly shifting inside him, why is he so agitated and why does he want her so near.

Again, his own will betrays him as he feels aroused, the smell of lavender so enticing and real,luring him, drowning his sanity.

She can feel the redolence of Jasmine intensifying, eveloping her, enthralling her and captivating her senses.

They are moving in harmony, and they are moving on as if they are beckoned what to do

He is breathless, He

has lost control

' _It is one of those times your body moves on its own'_

* * *

 ** _A/N_**

 **A thank you is in order to those brilliant writers and eclectic readers who have reviewed the story so far.**

 **Few clarifications:**

 **Orochimaru's scientific research does have its limits, remember he had to switch bodies and parasitise them in order to survive, He is more war oriented than medically oriented as well. In short, he doesn't have a magic wand to cure all diseases, at least that is how I see it.**

 **Karin's abilities are also limited to some extend specially if Itachi's disease was Autoimmune or neoplastic, her regeneration power can at most ameliorate the symptoms and extend remissions if not aggrevate them, or so I think.**

 **Uchihas seem to be more submissive to death and tragedy than most other ppl, They think of them as purgatory & reprieve. Sasuke didn't have a prothetic for an instance and Itachi was totally receptive to his fate. I think even their parents didn't fight for their lives at all.**

 **I am willing to expand on Tama's relationship with Sasuke, and on other points if I can insert &finish this story, just be a little patient.**

 **Last, this chapter isn't written in chronological order, I hope you will be able to deduce & arrange the events and you wouldn't be confused **


	18. The courage to stay

**Chapter 17: The courage to stay**

The first rays of sunlight were starting to pierce the steel blue sky, seeping through the clouds, peaking through the small gap between the blinders in his room.

The hordes of birds were starting to tweet and chirrup, starting to glide through the dawn's chilly crispy breeze, he could spend his life breathing such cleansing air ... mixed with lavender, a strong aroma of lavender,& jasmine.

But still tainted with blood.

The crimson grogginess was starting to fade, recede like an ebbing tide and the proceedings of the other night began to trickle through his viscid memory, gaining momentum until the whole events unfolded , peaked in his mind.

Red and black

His sharingan activated, he expected his eye, his lingering curse and ultimate blessing to scare her off, to make her flinch away but she didn't.

Lust and Pleasure.

Whatever inhibitions he previously mastered, whatever will he vowed to muster, whatever resolve he thought he held, have simply crumbled under her touch.

It was a trail of strewed tenacities, a demolished house of cards and a wheel spinning out of control ending in a heaped mess of intertwining limbs.

' _What have you done?'_

He tries to pry away her limbs from his, untangle himself gently from her, a deed at which she mumbled her slight displeasure.

He inadvertently woke her up.

She doesn't seem as confused as he was when he woke up

She is smiling up at him, blushing and she looked so radiant, so beautiful that it hurts.

And he doesn't know what to say to her as per habit.

* * *

He rises up from bed, stretches the sore muscles then opens his curtains.

He stares into the horizon of colours.

He doesn't want to face her right now, with all the rogue thoughts and whirling feelings in his mind.

She is up on her feet, walking towards where he is, pressing against his back, swirling her arms around his torso in the most affectionate of embraces.

He spins off to face her, ensuring her arms remain around him the whole time, he looks down intensely in her eyes, never had he thought in his most awkward of dreams, his most absurd of hazes to fall prey to the gentle Byakugan eyes.

"I still have to leave" He tersely utters and She is left stunned as he unravels out of her arms.

* * *

He has washed up, has worn his clothes, his hood that shields a large part of him, wraps him up.

"I never thought about it you know, I never brought it up but since you did, I wonder why everyone eventually leaves, my mother, my uncle, Neji, one way or another, what are your reasons, Sasuke?Why do you have to leave, a lover, a war an escapade?" There is very tight nonchalance in her voice, phoney and transparent indifference that only the wounded possess.

It was his turn to feel cold, bleak to the core.

' _The same reason Itachi & the clan left, the same reason all your beloved ones left'_

He has hurt her; he doesn't want to hurt her further.

He doesn't answer.

He turns around, raises his arm and pokes her forehead with his index and middle fingers, then he wordlessly leaves.

* * *

He is walking through plains and plains of forestry and vast greens.

He is chasing a skyline he can't beat; he is being consumed by all the colours he has buried deeply in his heart.

He didn't want to trudge this line, to fumble through this territory of attachment he has been tempted into, hauled through until it has finally reached physical point.

He doesn't want to leave ,to feel the pain of parting from another someone he loves; he doesn't want someone to feel this pain.

he has been content to know that he can disappear, dissipate in the nothingness without his friends noticing a thing but now …

It occurs to him that maybe she doesn't care so much, maybe it won't hurt her when he is gone, maybe she doesn't love him, they were merely caught in the whim of the moment and that everything could go back to how it was.

' _I choose you, Sasuke, I will always choose you' her earnest plea swiftly floats before being muffled out by his own sombre musings._

' _It isn't just about her, it is about you, you are the one who is hurting, you are the one who don't want to leave, you are the one who is helpless here'_

' _Maybe there is another way' he treacherously tries to contradict the voice in his head._

' _Uchihas have no other way'_

He wants to scream on the top of his lungs, to get the pent up desperation and wrath out of his system.

He doesn't.

' _Why? The most gracious of things come in the most dreadful of time'_

* * *

He is walking through the town that scorns him too much. The lively town that so naturally loathes a dying species as himself. The signs of life, the voices are everywhere, the crinkling of shop bells, the footsteps, the rumbling of cartwheels and croaks of vendors

"Teme, wait up" Naruto was panting as he tried to catch up with him.

* * *

Naruto led him to a calmer part of town

"You look more forlorn, more sour than usual"

"You are no less a dobe than usual"

"You know, I had run up on Sakura to see what the hell is going on with you, I could use a little kindness here, anyway, what? Trouble in paradise?"

' _Why does he always meddle at timings like this?'when he wants to be left alone?'_

"None of your business"

"Always a jerk, you know It doesn't need Kyuubi to detect all this negative emotions coming out of you"

"You assumed I am upset on your own. I am impressed, I have never known you to think this much, Naruto"

"As opposed to you who always think too much, Sasuke. What is wrong with you? I mean you may be slightly less uptight but something is off about you. I know the town and all its prejudice grow on your nerves sometimes but come on you know Konoha well, it swells up on the rumour for a while then everything dies out shortly after"

 _'That is why my entire clan was alienated, rumours that die out'_

 _K_ onoha and its latest accusation towards him was actually the last thing occupying his mind right now.

"I don't consider Konoha home that much, Naruto"

"Still, you do the village all those favours regardless"

"I do Itachi all those favours, I do my clan all those favours, I am honouring their memory and I am failing miserably at that too"

"Sasuke, I don't want you to get too caught up in the past, think about the future as well, your wife … rebuilding your clan"

"I don't want to rebuild the clan" he is resolute in his response, borderline harsh …

' _Somethings are better left undone'_

 _'you weren't that resolute last night' his innerself mocks him_

Somehow, Naruto expected that response. Their final battle at the valley of the end was an indication.

Sasuke's desperation, his malicious intend to end himself

' _Could it be he is still thinking the same way?'_ It is a thought that terrifies Naruto, losing his counterpart and dear friend like that. It is a thought he doesn't want to dwell upon much.

"Still, Teme, you need to snap out of whatever it is that saddens you, you don't deserve this, Sasuke"

' _Only if it was that easy'_

* * *

Only when his mind has finally been appeased a little bit, does he come back ,to find an empty house.

Hinata wasn't there.

' _Expected'_

He wonders if he should let her be, it is much easier this way.

He could be the idiot he always has been and it should work

' _I choose you, Sasuke, I will always choose you'_

' _She came back, when she could have left'_

* * *

He kind of anticipated a full-fledged battle where Hiashi along with the main house guards would shoo him off with brooms, gentle fist the hell out of him, however, there was no fuss in the main house when he arrived.

Hiashi was his usual stoic self, Hanabi didn't say much.

' _She probably didn't tell them anything, as we initially agreed'_

Yet, the source of the assault came from the most unpredicted person.

He stood before the door to her chambers, where she resided with his mother.

The boy, already in fighting stance, was narrowing his eyes at Sasuke, clenching his fist. His student who always looked up to him in reverence and admiration was now openly glaring at him.

"Why did you upset Hinata-sama, Sasuke-san?" he shouted in his shrill underdeveloped voice, practically alerting the entire household and throwing Hinata's discretion to the wall.

Sasuke couldn't help preventing the slight tug forming at the corner of his lips.

The boy, with his long flowing brown locks, his wide Byakugan eyes and his untimely manifested overprotectiveness was eerily familiar.

' _His father's son'_

In that particular moment he looked like a reincarnate of Neji, as if by some miraculous intend Neji possessed him.

And he couldn't help but admire the ardency and valour the young boy was showing at such young age.

However, he quickly recovered, hiding his amused smirk behind a look of sheer sternness and irritation

"Were you eavesdropping on you mother and Aunt?"

It was easy to get the little man in line again specially since he was already starting to lose some of his temperamental courage

"I... I wasn't"

In truth, the boy has been peeping around, going in and out of the room, so naturally he got some good coverage.

"Good, because you weren't supposed to uninvitedly implicate yourself in some other person's business, whatever close they are to you"

The boy looked slightly incriminated

"And you aren't supposed to raise your voice above that of someone older than you, especially your sensei. Also, your stance is quite rigid, I didn't teach you to stand like that"

At that remark the boy quickly altered his position to a better one, earning him an approving nod from his teacher.

"Please Sasuke-san, don't hurt me, don't hurt Hinata-sama" the boy now pleaded in a tearsome voice

"Come here" Sasuke demanded

The boy hesitantly moved towards him whereas Sasuke plunged to match the boy's height.

"Did I ever hurt you before?"

"No"

"or you aunt for what matters?"

The boy shook his head nigh

"Do you think I am an evil man, Hyuuga?"

The boy sniffled before reiterating his former gesture.

"Then know this, I will never hurt nor will I let anybody hurt you or your Aunt as long as I am alive, That I promise you, and a true Ninja, a true Shinobi never goes back on his word"

Sasuke smiled at the frightened boy.

Tenten came rushing tagging along a bleary red eyed, Hinata. And soon enough Hiashi approached the small party in his hall.

"Tama, why are you shouting?" she reprimanded her son

"No... Nothing"

Sasuke noted the boy was prone to developing a stutter, something he would have to alert them to later.

"We have got this sorted out, Tenten"

"Well, then Sasuke" She was giving him another reproachful look, while Hinata was avoiding looking at him altogether.

"Sasuke, Hinata, we need to speak" Hiashi motioned them to follow

* * *

"Did you hurt Hinata?" The clan's head was positively fuming, even he wasn't showing it

Sasuke didn't know how to respond to that.

On physical level, he didn't know if he has hurt her. She didn't seem too roughened up when they woke up this morning nor was she in pain. She looked blissful and satisfied.

On emotional level, He floundered and dragged her down a rabbit hole with him, and again, he didn't know how to put those words out for Hiashi.

"He didn't" Hinata interjected, saving him the trouble of finding the right call.

"But Tama here said you weren't happy"

"He is a little kid, he must have misunderstood what me and his mother were talking about"

Hiashi's suspicious eyes darted between her and Sasuke.

"Do you want to leave home with Sasuke?" he tried to prod the matter in rather a different way.

She hesitated for a moment, something that neither Sasuke nor Hiashi missed on.

"Yes, I do"

"It is too late now, however, you can both spend the night here until tomorrow morning" Hiashi spoke in his most authoritive tone. It wasn't a mere invitation; it was more of an imposition

* * *

"You shouldn't have come, I would have come back, even if you didn't"

"Really" He was looking around her room, a spacious clean room, neat and well kept, with a high ceiling, wide balcony and off white walls. Small intricate violet emblems were adorning the corners where the walls angled.

"If you want ,I can arrange for you to lodge in another room"

He doesn't know if she is asking out of sheer politeness or if she is simply kicking him out of her room, her tone doesn't give a hint.

"Wouldn't it be scandalous for the household to realise we slept in different rooms?" he tries to sound lighter, to get a rise out of her.

"Not at all, you are entitled your full right to feel at ease, nobody here can deny you rest, it is the clan's head house afterall"

"Hinata, do you want me to stay here?"

"You can stay wherever you want, you can leave whenever you want, Sasuke"

"I want to stay here with you, I don't want to leave, unless you want me to"

"I have made it clear before, Sasuke. I owe you, I owe you so much and I will choose you, I always will"

"You owe me nothing, Hinata, nothing at all, if it is an obligation , the reason you choose me, the reason you stay , you can rest assured I hold nothing against you"

"I will choose you regardless, I ... I just want you to be candid with me, honest and straightforward, like you have always been, with everyother person, is that too much to ask for? What is it that you want, Sasuke? What is it that you are hiding?"

"I want to stay here, tonight with you for a starter, can you let me?" he repeated

"Of course, you can"

* * *

Hiashi had let him borrow some of Neji's clothes. He settled for lounging on the floor for the night, only for her to stop him.

"We can share the bed, you know"

He knew she intended for this to be chaste, however he had his qualms about trusting himself in her proximity.

"The floor would be fine, I have slept in tougher places"

"I insist, don't worry, You will be fine, I won't bite, Sasuke"

 _'It is you I am worried about'_

'Now, that we are settled, there is something I need to ask you about"

"Yes" She drowsily replied

"What did Tama hear exactly?"

She took her time analysing the question in her sleepy mind

"Nothing.. Tenten thought I was distraught and when I told her it was nothing, she threw in a fit of rage about you being a prick, and an ice prince, Tama took it up and charged straight away at you"

She managed to complete her answer through the yawns.

 _'Thank goodness, I thought he might have heard other things_ '

She has already succumbed to slumber, her breathing, steady and deep.

She is sprawled beside him, rolling and turning in her blissful sleep as He tries to ignore the flare in his chest of her being beside him, the itching urge to face her & pull her against him, to trace the lines on her heavenly face.

And in the spur of the moment, as if she can feel what is going on in his mind ,she latched onto his back, tangled her legs in his and curled against his back.

He smiles for a second, tries to turn around and face her only to give up on the idea, in fear of waking her up from her fickle sleep.

' _It is sad to part from you'_

"God knows, how much I love you, Hinata Hyuuga" he whispers to the nothingness.

Only her grip grows tighter.


	19. The Stand-in

**Chapter 18: The Stand-in**

It is the metallic taste of iron that prompts him to exist the entire room.

She has fallen soundly asleep on her old bed, tucked against him and so she remained yet the constant cycles of tossing and turning have untangled them apart.

He has even dozed off for a while, so dissimilar from habit. He has revelled a good fraction of an hour in blissful transition; midnight blue, low snores, warm heaves and a softness surrounding him, urging him never to let go. only to feel the tangy blood flowing in his mouth.

He covers his mouth and rises from bed, seeking a washing room, to spit out the sore manifestation of the ailment growing inside of him.

And when he is done running and stumbling, ridding himself of the heavy blood rite passed unwillingly unto him, he couldn't bring himself to lay back beside her once more.

And so he wandered through the main house, the house made out of blocks of locked rooms, thick doors and dusty knobs.

There's only one room, with its door left slightly ajar, a throng of light seeping through the small slit.

He walks towards this room, to pry and check that nothing was amiss.

Nothing was amiss except that everything was.

* * *

The room was a much similar to Hinata's, except the colour pane which was more plain; Yellow and white.

The clan's head was sitting in there, eyes staring placidly, helplessly around the room.

The pictures raised and hanged indicated the inhabitant or rather the former inhabitant of the room.

' _Neji'_

He hemmed a slight cough, a chance to give the stoic clan's head time to recollect himself.

Hiashi didn't need it. His outside betrayed no sign of weakness or vulnerability

He simply nodded, signalled for Sasuke to come in, never during which did his eye falter a rimming from the picture he was staring at …

The portrait of a young Neji, chubby cheeked, wide eyed and smiling.

' _He was a cute kid, much like his son'_

Indeed, his son resembled him so much in shape and spirit except for a few traits from Tenten, namely her temper.

Sasuke has been acquainted with the Hyuuga Prodigy, they were practically the same age, nearly attended the same classes and were both members of esteemed clans, wielding the much powerful Dojutsus.

In fact, they were mostly expected to be pitted against each other,to rival each other, ironically they never did.

They were separated at the fork of the road.

"You probably deduced whose room is this" Hiasha stated matter of fact

Sasuke nodded demurely.

"You know; his scent has faded entirely from the room. For a whole year after his demise, Tenten used to sleep here just to revel the remnants of his scent. Sometimes, just sometimes I can imagine him walking to me,just like his father before him"

Sasuke doesn't remember any scents, not even Itachi's who had died mere inches from him, it was all masked by blood, hate and an eternal blanket of regret.

"so, what is going on between you and Hinata?" The clan's head resumed

"Nothing"

"Indeed"

"You know Sasuke, what did they use to call the Byakugan?"

"They used to call it 'the heart's eyes', a few other used to call it the 'mirror eyes' or 'water eyes', do you know why?" the clan's head inquired a second time

"Because they thought the Byakugan could detect these sentiments the object of their vision feel deep in the heart, moreover they can reflect them, feel them. Those sentiments, the Byakugan can survive and thrive them, it adapts slowly, grows steadily stronger … Unlike your Sharingan, it starts at its peak, then drowns in its owner's emotion, gets devastated and consumed before it finally wanes and blinds"

Sasuke stiffened, switching on the defensive, if Hiashi intended to mock him, he will respond brazenly and …

"Still, the Uchiha boldness combined with the youth brashness, relax I didn't intend to humiliate you"

"I just wanted to tell you that She can feel you, she can sense whatever going on so be honest with her, don't hurt her further with twisting the truth or alienating her with indifference, she doesn't deserve that"

"I never intend to hurt her"

' _I love her'_

"Perhaps, neither have I, I didn't want to hurt her, or Neji for the part, but in the end, I did"

"Sasuke, do you know why I wanted Tama to train with you despite Kakashi, Gai, Lee & Naruto offering ? Why I wanted Hinata to marry you ,beside your prowess of course?"

Sasuke could guess

"Not just because I don't want him to be an utter fool" Sasuke knew the man meant well, this was as close to a joke you could get out of such man "because You are similar to him in character so much" the elder man whispered

"Yes, but I am not Neji, as noble and Brave as he was. You can't expect me to be his substitute. Hinata realises this. You should as well. Whatever I do, I do it on my own accord"

"I know and whatever you are doing, you are doing it so well, with Tama, with her, with the council and the village. But, it is an old fool's selfish hope, neither a fair one, nor a reasonable one but sometimes you just want an illusion to last a little longer, even if you know quite well it is a mere illusion, a feeble fantasy, even when you know it will hurt times fold when it lapses and ends"

Sasuke could understand thoroughly.

' _An illusion, a mere Illusion that hurts'_

"Anyway, was there something you wanted to say? Why are you up at such early hour?"

"I have never been much of a sleeper" Sasuke replied "And I wanted to ask you other things regarding the Byakugan"

Hiashi's forehead furrowed, his line of thought shifted, it was business mood, attentiveness had to peak.

"I have been told Kumo is relentless in pursuit of the Byakugan because it believes it can evolve into a much more destructible dojutsu or at least can contribute to such similar feats. Do you have any idea if such assumptions are true?"

"We have kept tight restrictions on the Byakugan for ages, we try to expand its current capabilities but we never try to mutate or upgrade it from its current mode, or test its interactions. we kept its line as pure as possible"

"I see, anyway, you should tell the members of your clan, especially your house, to watch out and be cautious, Kumo might try something"

Hiashi grimly nodded, he understood the gravity of such threat.

* * *

The town folk's mouths literally dropped at the sight of the dark haired couple. They were really staring funny.

Sasuke and Hinata were used to the town's people gazing and gawking individually at them , sometimes with contempt, others with sympathy or awkwardness.

But this look of utter astonishment and surprise was amusing.

It was the first time, outside the wedding season, that the Majority of the Villagers see them together, walking side by side, Hinata holding onto his arm, slightly snuggled from the intend gazes into his shoulder.

He didn't want her to go with him, lest someone said something tart about her being with a traitor.

However, after much bickering and insistence on her part they decided to go together.

' _She could be too stubborn' and it was the same road after all'_

"Why do they seem so surprised?" She murmured into his shoulder

"I don't know, but whatever it is, they will get used to it"

The novelty of seeing the Uchiha ice prince, and the timid Hyuuga princess together was overriding town, even Tenten was gaping in surprise behind the front of her shop.

* * *

Tenten waited until after he left before exasperatedly turning to her friend

"I don't particularly understand what is going on here, yesterday you were balling your eyes out because of him and today you are coming together, hand in hand and all lovey-dovey, are you both Crazy?"

' _Maybe they were'_

The resident straight man attitude Neji usually ranted about was starting to peek and shine.

"Let's say we are making … a progress here" Hinata replied

"I see; the ice prince has shown a shred of unexpected human emotion in the middle of town"

"Stop calling Sasuke that"

"And has got you defending him"

"well, He is my Husband"

"And calling him Husband"

"Tenten, enough with the pep talk"

"You are really starting to take after each other" Tenten smiled at last "Hinata, do you love him?"

Hinata bashfully averted her eyes

"Judging by the display of coziness and the sight in front of me, it seems you are both far beyond the line of return, you have both fallen in love with each other"

There is a tendril of sadness in Tenten's heart that she managed to hide.

' _Time was stolen from us'_

* * *

 **The last line obviously comes from the Lara Croft film**

 **"Heart's eyes" or "Eyes of the heart" was the title of an episode in the anime and is in fact quite a common name for various songs in different languages.**


	20. The Beckons in the distance

**Chapter 19: The Beckons in the distance **

"Ouch"

It has been tapping on their window since the break of dawn, the little bluebird, now staring hostilely at her.

At first, she thought it was a stray little bird which was starving or had its wings broken, it looked so helpless!

And she had a thing for birds, something she took after Neji.

It didn't attempt to flee when she approached, it remained nestled on the sill so she assumed it was fine to try and scoop the chick, see what is wrong, only for the bird to pluck her fingers as soon as she tried then and fly away in a circle before returning back to stand the sill, tapping persistently and vehemently!

"Are you alright?"

"That bird on the sill, bit my finger"

He chuckled, only someone like her would get herself into such peculiar situation.

"Let's see" He held her clutched hand and unclasped it to take a look "Come on, it is just a scratch, I bet you get worse injuries while cooking"

She narrowed her doe eyes disdainfully at him, causing him to chuckle once more.

"Now, now, don't be annoyed, it doesn't suit you. Let's wash and sterilise this, we don't want you to catch an infection or something"

"Did I ever mention you have the worst sense of humour?"

The little bird didn't stop plunking at the window.

"Look I will see what is wrong with this bird" he stood

"What will you do to it?"

"Probably slaughter it off … Relax, I will only shoo it away"

Sasuke stood at a distance, observing the cute little nuisance as it tapped.

' _Cute but weird'_

He marched towards the bird, stood against the sill with the intend of disturbing the bird and knocking him away, surprisingly the bird started to hover beside him

' _What was that?'_

There was something tied onto the bird's leg

' _Jugo'_

* * *

The bird remained hovering even after untying the small scroll from the neck of its leg

"What else do you want?"

The pestering bird only tweeted.

' _Maybe something to eat'_

"Hinata, if you are done bandaging your finger, can you please fetch the little bird some water and any kind of grain?"

They watched the bird nibble on the dispersed rice grains and after it was done, it advanced towards Sasuke's hand. Sasuke couldn't resist the urge to cub the pretty bird before its beak bit onto his finger then flew away.

"Ouch"

' _Dammit even your bird is as dissociative and as psychotic as you are'_

She smiled in mock innocence.

"Go wash your hand, the paraphernalia are still out"

He tucked the scroll in his pocket before heading towards the basin to wash the wound.

Sasuke could wield a Katana or any kind of sword with his one hand, he could fight adeptly and use his chop sticks among many other things.

So it was supposed that Bandaging wouldn't be a problem.

He had to wash the bite again with alcohol, put on a salve then wrap a small gauze on his injured hand. The Catch, with said hand. It was a struggle and she watched him for a while with amusement in her eyes as he fumbled with the stuff before she finally got her stake of retribution and offered to help.

He begrudgingly accepted.

Her hands were expectedly gentle, even gentler than the standard level acquired by training with Tsunade.

"We are done" She concluded

"Thank you" He huffed begrudgingly

It was time to review the scroll.

* * *

He practically stormed his way to the Hokage's office.

"Where is Kakashi?"

"Not here, will arrive in 15 minutes or so" Shikamaru replied

' _Never will he ever be on time'_

"I hope you and Sai have been doing your job of debugging the system well, we might hold numerous meetings and conferences soon"

' _He has news'_ Shikamaru deducted _'And not good ones'_

In the corner of the room, Naruto was huddled next to Sai, both stealing glimpses of him in between their talk.

It made Sasuke uneasy.

"What are you two talking about?" Shikamaru intercepted them

"Nothing" Naruto rushed to answer in hope he'd cut the road on Sai before he gives an insipid reply.

Sadly, it didn't stop the socially awkward fellow from doing so

"Naruto here was noting how Sasuke here seems to finally like women judging by his late arrival and the gossip around town"

It appears that Sasuke's love life has become the topic under the limelight in town.

Sasuke glowered at the two of them.

"Sai" Naruto gritted

"Never mind, mate. I didn't mean ill" he waved both hands at Sasuke before turning back to Sai

"Even if I said so, where is common sense? Couldn't you just shut up and spare us your banal comments, Huh?!"

"You were the one who said that, not me. You stuck your nose into his business and as far as I remember Ino told me that sticking your nose in other people's business is not part of common sense"

' _The satire of the month; Sai, Ino and common sense in the same statement, lest of all, Ino teaching Sai that snooping in other people's affairs, which she does exceptionally well, is wrong. Ha-ha' Shikamaru thought 'Poker face'_

"I am here boys" Kakashi announced his presence

"At last"

* * *

"Killer B is drugged and under house arrest" Sasuke informed

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed

"That is the first piece of news"

"Why do you think they are doing so?" Kakashi inquired

"Probably because he isn't cooperative enough" Naruto replied

"Or maybe they are experimenting on him, anyway second piece of news, Kumo has despatched two bands of its troops to Iwa, do you know what does that mean?" Sasuke said

"They will attack soon" Shikamaru answered "The question is which city will they attack? Probably, they wouldn't start with Konoha with Naruto here and all, this leaves Kiri and Suna"

"Kiri is in mishap, tension has risen between the clans and they are too busy to recognise and react to what is going on but again that doesn't exclude Suna, there is historical animosity between Them and Iwa " Kakashi concluded

"You should try to see what Kiri is up to, also I want to discuss a proposition with you all" Sasuke inhaled before resuming "We need to establish a base"

"A what?" everybody inquired

"A support base for both our troops and Suna's, now that a war may break out, and we aren't particularly neighbouring lands, we need to secure a logistical line, a common maneuvering and training ground for the both of us before Iwa or Kumo beats us to it and counteracts such plan" Sasuke proceeded to explain

"That is a brilliant idea" both Sai and Shikamaru commended

"But where should we establish such base? Not where I think it is"

"Exactly Kakashi, there is no other place, the ruins of Ushiogakure, I recommend Shikamaru and Naruto to work on this, both are readily accepted in Suna and Naruto shall be able to negotiate any problems shall they arise, being an Uzumaki, a former native of the land"

Naruto blanched out for a blink of a second, before he recovered himself, a blink that wasn't missed by Sasuke.

* * *

The day was finally over. Naruto and Sasuke have left the Hokage's place and were marching through town.

"You didn't seem enthusiastic about venturing to Ushiogakure, I wasn't anticipating that"

"Neither was I"

"Characteristically cold short answers are my area of expertise, they don't suit you, Naruto. Now, what is wrong?"

Sasuke knew Naruti wasn't the kind of person who needed much pressuring into spilling what is on his mind. He was an easy person, who yielded without much trouble

"Nothing, I was just reminded of earlier times when I was younger, I used to wonder why everybody was calling me Uzumaki after my mother, despite the fact I was a Namikaze as well"

It never came across Sasuke's mind that specific detail, it never provoked any inquisitions on his part or anybody' for what matters.

"I once asked a villager about that and his answer wasn't particularly pleasing, he told me I was a jinxed being and so I was more fitting to be identified and associated with the vagabond jilted clan, not a clan of Konoha. He then blatantly told me that I didn't belong in Konoha" Naruto now looked totally lost "Even now, Sasuke, Sometimes I wonder if I belong in Konoha"

' _Same here my friend'_

"Konoha wasn't kind to the both of us, Ironically, it is the both of us who lost too much for Konoha, fought so much for it, Don't you ever hate it here? Don't you feel like you are carrying this grudge against it?"

"Never, Sasuke. Yes, I would feel dejected for a while, but It gets better, beside not all the people here were that way. Iruka was kind, Kakashi, Hinata ... occasionally you. Later, everybody was, How about you?"

"I don't know, I honestly don't. Naruto, it never occurred to you to just leave here, to rebuild that village or just wander around?"

Naruto nodded his refusal

"Rebuilding Ushio isn't meant to happen at least for now. Does the world need another state to add to the brewing never ending wars? What is the purpose of rebuilding Ushio only to have it crumble all over again in another war?"

"You know, Naruto, I am sick of all of this, all those people we lost for the whole of this system, for naught. This system of the five lands, this Kage summit, all of this needs to radically change into something more robust, more Humane"

"You are talking funny, what do you mean?"

"I mean the war is still going on, even after Madara was taken out, it still extends and it will remain as long as we have five separate lands, five colliding interests and the likings of Danzo and this Raikage rising to power"

"You are scaring me, you are talking just like Akatsuki"

"Maybe they had a point, despite not approving their means. Maybe, it was meant to be one unified land" Sasuke pointedly said "But again, what if this Raikage has a similar goal? Is he the man suitable for carrying out such feat? Is he the man worthy? Can he gather and collect all those people around this one goal regardless of their very own personal indulges?"

"Not a chance, but if there were such a man for this hard impressive job, It is probably you"

"No, Naruto. It is not me. I am too cynical, too worn out to the bone. However, there is such a strong, optimistic idealist who can"

"Pray tell me who is that?"

Sasuke then spoke no more.

' _You, Idiot'_

Naruto was the only one capable of such, a person with no malice or greed, incapable of holding a grudge. A person who was honest, generous and jovial. Powerful and strong willed, full of life like those rivers in his mother's home land.

Maybe Naruto was more attributed to Ushiogakure after all.

"Anyway, this whole serious sombre talk has made me hungry"

"Huh"

"I am inviting myself to Dinner at your house"

"God"

"Come on, Hinata-chan wouldn't mind, don't be stingy"

* * *

The night ended on a merry note. After all, Naruto's upbeat mood was always contagious, always prevalent.

"He gulped like two plates downright" Sasuke exasperatedly emphasised

"You know Naruto-kun. He likes his food very much"

"Maybe that and the fact I have never seen anything that rivalled your cooking" Sasuke replied

' _I have never seen anything that rivalled the whole of you'_

"Actually, I have seen" She smiled slyly

"And what is that, Naruto's appetite?"

"Your singing"

He blanked at her response.

She would notice him, humming, absent mindedly while absorbed and carried away in thought. She really likes his voice.

"I managed to catch you by surprise for a change" She laughed

"So do you know what I am singing? Who am I singing about?"

He rose from his position, marched in steadfast steps towards where she was standing.

"You" he softly blew in her ear.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **-A prompt Update, I am trying to finish this story before real life comes knocking on the door and It gets abandoned altogether.**

 **\- Why is Hinata so hung up on Sasuke despite him leaving her stranded?** **The answer is another chapter in itself.**

 **One point that has to be made clear: Her devotion to him is nothing pathological.**

 **Hinata. People fail to perceive how strong she really is because she is simply not loud enough. As it is noted earlier in this story, she is someone who has been through a lot of traumatic incidences but still managed to make it out without losing it, something she shares with Naruto along with Emotional intelligence.** **However, she is more perceptive and patient than Naruto. She listens most of the time and a good listener is usually a good understander.** **She is loyal among other things as well.**

 **As for Sasuke? what is the root of conflict in this character? He is a typical Uchiha. Great potential, immense intellect coupled with extreme sensitivity, an inability to project and a massive form of emotional dumbness.** **They feel so strongly, they love/loathe too much and have no tuners at all to ratify or regulate their sentimentality. So they eventually get hurt so deeply and painfully and then shut off and detach. They choose to distance themselves from people so they themselves wouldn't get hurt or worst hurt their objects of affection.** **He has calmed down a considerable bit after the war and the battle in the valley of the end. His jerkiness has been dampened and toned down and He has become more gentle, kinder. But that doesn't mean he is not emotionally scarred. His wounds run deep and he is still terrified of being intimate with someone only to turn on him or get ripped away from him like what happened too him earlier when his clan and family were massacred by his beloved brother Itachi.**

 **Putting one and two together: She owes him the safety of her cousin, something she vowed to do like her father before her, something he has helped her fulfill twice, so she is giving him allowance for that.**

 **He sees all the points of strength she possesses and admires her for them.**

 **She knows, he is conflicted. She has deduced that about him as much as she deduced he actually cares from the numerous gestures he gets the courage to show, the one thing she didn't figure out yet is why is he so hesitant.**

 **He never hurt her. Sasuke is a guy who sacrificed Karin to get to Danzo, pushed Sakura beyond limits in his demented state. He never does that to Hinata. He doesn't even imagine himself doing so. In fact, this is his reason for wanting to shut her out so much. He doesn't want to hurt her or himself as mentioned previously in the story.**

 **She loves him and she understands that if she just leaves he will close in on himself, he will shut off. So,she gently prods him, she doesn't crash into him like Ino or Karin or leave him totally off the hook, like Sakura.**


	21. A prayer unanswered

**Chapter 20: A prayer unanswered**

' _Don't leave me'_

It is a litany she whispers during the most pleasurable moment of the night. A rein that halts him, chains him and throws him into the desolate fields of hope between them.

A supplication she whispers against his bare chest as it rises and falls, a cruel mocking sign of the life slipping like dry sand between his fingers.

A fleeting shine that scatters in her deep eyes when it falls on him, as he trains Neji's son, when he pokes her forehead, as he hums her favourite song.

A distant voice he hears as he wipes away the blood, as the bouts of symptoms get worse, their intensity ascends, as the memory of Itachi crosses his mind reminding him of his impending fate.

All those years he incriminated Itachi only to realise that he himself was doing the exact same thing now. He was as much a hypocritical bastard as Suigetsu thought.

He should tell Hinata the truth about what is going on.

' _Don't leave me'_

A prayer unsaid, straining her voice with the weight of all the words he says and the void of all the words he doesn't.

A whisper she utters in her sleep, when she wakes up alone and he is never there. When he is everywhere, anywhere but her side.

A hymn unsung, hidden in his eyes, between the transparency of his love, so strong but cloaked against the clandestine black soaking his iris.

' _Don't leave me'_

An echo, A shadow passing between them.

* * *

"Sasuke, where have you strayed?"

Kakashi was holding a meeting to discuss the new base. Temari secured the Kazekage's approval and Kankuro's aid in establishing the base as quickly as possible with the deployed Shikamaru and Naruto.

And He had no desire nor wits to attend. But he had to and Kakashi must have noticed.

"I ... I am sorry, what were you saying, Kakashi?"

"Kirigakure hasn't responded to our communications yet and I am afraid they are too absorbed in their own internal crisis to respond"

"Of course, Are you sure Iwa or Kumo has nothing to do with riling it up?"

"You mean having some clans working in their league"

"Not necessarily working, just listening"

"It doesn't matter anyway; They have gone too far. However, Sai here has got some news"

"Picking from where he finished, some members of our clans here have been exceedingly communicating with the envoys from Kumo"

"Don't tell me Hyuugas are among them" Sasuke exasperatedly replied

Sai plastered his fakest smile as he nodded affirmation

"Hiashi has been informed"

"Yes"

"As for the rest of the former root members, we have identified top suspects and have had them interrogated, apparently they have no information of substantial value, the rest have been demoted from any sensitive positions and are being closely monitored"

"Good job, Sai" Kakashi commended "Sasuke, any news on your part?"  
"Nothing yet"

"Ok, then our meeting is adjourned. Sai, you are dismissed and Sasuke, are you sure there is nothing you want to tell me"

He fixed him a concerned look

"No, I am fine, Kakashi"

' _You aren't fine at all'_

Kakashi knew he was lying.

* * *

Summer has ended that he could see and hear, the yellows and oranges draining from the skies to the rusty leaves below, those rustling as they are stroked by the winds, breaking as they are stomped on during the now habitual training

"Now, this isn't how you do it"

"I don't know how to; I am tired" the young boy scoffed

"If you want to be as great a ninja as your father, as Naruto or any of the ninja of this village, you can't get tired, you ought to have stamina. Sometimes later, you will be required to fend for yourself, for your family, clan and village; you have to be strong enough to do so. Keep trying to perfect this jutsu, I am watching close by"

"Those Justus you teach him; I don't remember seeing that much of them in a very long time" Hinata proclaimed

"That is right, these were signature jutsus for the Uchiha clan. Of course he may not have a natural aptitude to a lot of them, but I am trying to teach him as much as I can with the limitation of him not possessing a sharingan"

"For a time, Neji had an obsession with your sharingan, what would happen if someone have what he so called Byaku-sharingan" She sounded amused at her late cousin's display of lighter demeanor

"Couldn't blame him, much." Sasuke chastised "I mean, I wonder all the time what could happen if those dojustus merge, or if there is a higher tier of evolution above the Byakugan or Rinnegan, a world of possibilities" he emphasised

"But, aren't you pushing him a little too hard?"

"Hinata, look over to him. At the beginning of this training day, he couldn't do one proper stride, he couldn't execute one proper move or technique for this jutsu. Now see, he is almost there." There was a hint of pride seeping through his voice

"But, sometimes, I think he is too young ..."

"We were too young, when we both started training and as far as I remember, our fathers were vicious when it came to that" He interrupted "Not that I approve or exercise how they used to train us, but I know his bounds, that is why I know when to push him a little bit ahead of his traditional pace. The world as we were shown, isn't kind to anybody and may not be kind to him, that is why he should learn by now, he should acquire all he can to protect himself and all of you"

"I did it" the boy's boisterous voice preceded before she could reply

"See" he prodded her "Well, done, Tama. Now, one more time from the beginning before you are taken home" He shouted

"Since he has a hopeless case of sweet-tooth like somebody that I know" he stressed the last part knowingly "You should fetch him some sweets or confectionary as a reward for his vigorous efforts today"

* * *

Autumn has set in.

The winds of Autumn carried unsolicited proceedings.

He was preparing to exist the Hokage's office, to leave when Kakashi rounded them up for the breaking news.

A cohort of unidentified Ninja was attacking the village.

The gate, the village's frontline … and the Hyuuga residency.

The guards at the gates were down by the time Sai was dispatched along with his Shinobis and the assailants were treading inside the village, marching towards central town.

By the time Sasuke arrived with his team, he found Hyuugas putting on quite the fight.

Hiashi had most things under control.

Sasuke could identify some of the releases and the genkai kekkei as upgrades developed by Orochimaru

' _Faithless bastard'_

That explained why the guards were taken down quite easily, that forecast what they are going up against in the upcoming war.

* * *

The fight has taken a toll on them.

The relatively small cohort has caused tens of injuries … and a few deaths on their part before falling back.

He tries to go back to the Office, to debrief and report to Kakashi what happened, to tell him they maybe after the Byakugan and to discuss the grave faults that occurred but he doesn't find the strength, so he alters the path back to his house, hoping his wife has remained in the Hyuuga property, tending to the wounded or clearing out part of the chaos that has hit their residency.

He doesn't.

* * *

Hinata has seen him retreat, assumingly to the Hokage's office after the fight was over, a foreign expression evident on his face … _Fatigue?_

He dragged his feet out of the compound, after telling her to stay the night there, to ensure that Tama and Tenten stay there, guarded as well.

She doesn't.

She tells her father to watch the distance as she goes back home to see what has befallen him.

And It is a whirlwind of intermingling fuzzy events when he comes home.

* * *

Blood, short trails flowing from the corners of his mouth, marring his pale complexion, drippling drops of crimson falling off his drooping heas, settling at his feet while his frame is inclined against the bathroom door.

And her first impression is that maybe he has been injured earlier, when Kakashi gathered him and Sai to stand against the skirmish that attacked the village.

He lets go off the door, tries to scramble a few steps forward on his own before she rushes towards him, hooking her arms around his flailing body,in an effort to support him, to prevent the upcoming fall that came afterwards with a thud, pulling her down beside him.

"Just give me a minute" he muttered in a raspy incoherent voice

He is nauseated, his stomach makes leap after leap, tumult after the other, spewing down its meagre contents, spewing down dribbles of acid, spewing down nothing at all.

It is a mess on the floor.

* * *

Her eyes shift from the brewing mint leaves she is stirring to his reclining form.

' _What has just happened?'_

She has just witnessed the absolute breakdown of Sasuke, she watched him collapse into a bleeding wisp of tired bones and wobbly flesh.

' _Could it be …'_

Momentarily, she considers shaking the ominous thought out of her head but incidences start to add up, accumulate, fall into place and peer through … taunt her with her undeliberate ignorance.

' _He always washes his own clothes ... he never sleeps the entire night ... he never wakes up beside me … his room is off limits and he stipulated no Byakugan around him'_

The concoction she is stirring has long boiled and has overflown from the edge of the pot.

* * *

He is stronger now.

He has sit up now, his eyes weighed down by contemplation to the ground, fixed demurely on an invisible spot he is the only one who sees it.

He takes the cup from her hands, when she comes, casts it aside.

They sit in plausible silence, a prolonging one. Occasionally, one of them would try to say something, to push at this dead end … in the end, it is he who starts the conversation

"You have probably connected some dots by now, so you might already have an idea about what I am going to let you on"

"Hinata" he proceeds "I want you to activate your Byakugan"

And she does.

* * *

All the air has been knocked out of her lungs at the sight encountered when her Byakugan activated and She gasps in horror at him, completely exposed … his body disease bitten.

She didn't expect him to have gone this far.

She is torn between the twig of anger blossoming in her chest at his detachment, his elusiveness, his derangement and the urge to hold him so tight in her arms, to numb his pain, tell him its ok and pull him from all those silhouettes looming over him, death's tentacle that inches closer to him.

"I need a minute to comprehend all this"

"Leave" she commands

He complies without another word.


	22. The anguish of resemblance

**Chapter 21: The anguish of resemblance and belated apologies**

The nights are getting longer.

He hurries outside the house, runs like a wounded panther.

He runs like a hurt lost boy, a boy he knew so long ago.

A boy who lost everything, his entire being in one fateful night.

A boy chasing a lie, an illusion on a rough bleak road.

A boy chasing Itachi.

* * *

"Sasuke, why are you here at this ungodly hour?"

"I should ask you the same"

He expected the cemetery to be cold, empty ... he expected the unkempt Uchiha partition to be even more so. The last person he expected to run into this night, none the less in this place was Kakashi Hatake, reciting his prayers and making tribute in front of a cenotaph.

' _Obito Uchiha'_

"I didn't know you were the religious type, more over the ritualistic practicing typei."

"Well, you see Sasuke, contrary to popular belief, I am."

"The village never thought you are"

"The village thinks a lot of stuff, most of them are pure fables. I remember at one point they thought I molested students."

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. Kakashi has his eccentricities and absurdities but that was a very mean stoop.

' _The village assumes anything as long as it suits their prejudices' Sasuke grimly thought_

The silence stretched between them for what seemed like hours, during which Kakashi's eyes lingered on the deaf stone.

"I never wanted to Hokage, never aspired to be. Let's say I got tipped for the promotion by a good old friend" Kakashi smiled fondly at his last exchange with his former comrade "That friend of mine thought I could make this place a better place, a more peaceful less violent place. A happier place for you and Naruto and all those coming after us, the forsaken, the unfortunate, who witnessed tragedy after another, catastrophe after the next." Kakashi took in deep breath, before tiredly closing his one eye. "Today, it finally hit me, how much I epically failed, how much I let him down"

"Kakashi, there is nothing you can d…"

"I know, Sasuke. There is nothing I can do now. There was plenty I could have done, but that was long before. Thinking about it now, I was so hind sighted"

Sasuke sensed whatever Kakashi was saying has long transcended the day's attack, has long transcended state affairs.

"In my defense, I was consumed, drowning in my own misery, my loneliness. Trying to make sense of everything, put everything in place."

It was the first time in his life Sasuke had seen Kakashi that bare, that raw and vulnerable and he was momentarily stunned, at all the words his friend and dare say surrogate elder brother was saying. With Kakashi, it was always the opposite, he was the attentive ear everybody poured whatever thing lurking in their hearts into. He was usually the listener, the guide and mentor.

"One day, long ago, Kakashi, you told me I can not carry the burden of all things of all consequences alone. Why aren't you applying your own quote to yourself, now?"

Another long pause.

' _It is always easier to advice others, admonish and even incriminate them than one's own self'_

"You know Sasuke, as much as I enjoyed training you as team seven, I was wholly terrified. Every single day I was. You reminded me of people who I simultaneously wanted so hard to forget and remember at the very same time, not that it was possible, but one could wish" Kakashi bitterly smiled

"You reminded me of myself, of Obito. Same goes for Naruto who looked like Minato so much. Even Sakura had some attributes similar to Rin, although Rin was much more pleasant and by far less annoying"

They both chuckled

"You are an Uchiha like him, same unearthly fire, same pride. But you were so brooding, so aloof like me. Your skills were more advanced. Naruto was so lively, hopeful and optimistic. Always looking up to match you. The parallels were eerily familiar, you treated Naruto the same way I treated Obito, then came along Sakura's crush on you and in turn Naruto's crush on her and It has gone much. Everyday, I woke up expecting the crashing downfall, the calamity. It was so near, looming in the distance, only a matter of time. Then you left and I thought, why did the selfish prick do that? In the process of your departure, I started realising that I should have been a better friend for Obito. I should have been more receptive. I should have helped him and I should have understood how hard he was trying. My field was so constricted I failed to see him properly, I failed to see you properly, to fully appreciate the anguish in your heart. And for all that I am sorry. I am sorry I wasn't a better friend to Obito, I am sorry I failed him thrice. I am sorry I couldn't stop the massacre or the upcoming war. I am sorry I had to implicate Naruto and yourself in this war" Kakashi looked entirely dejected. Sasuke knew Kakashi wasn't expecting words of solace or comfort from him, Kakashi's utmost aspiration was for him to listen then forget, as though this conversation didn't take place .

"My console however comes from the fact that at least you are realising your most heartfelt desires, he has finally reunited with Rin, Naruto is on his way to become Hokage and you have found your home and solace with Hinata, you have become less like me, less deranged."

It was Sasuke's turn to look wistful.

"I know I have stayed too long, I should leave you to pay respects for your clan, make sure you go home soon enough, it is bloody cold after all" Kakashi now lifted his hand, and patted Sasuke on the shoulder.

"And Sasuke" he said as he turned to leave "Thank you for listening too the ramblings of an old fool. I hope whatever it is that is bothering you be resolved"

* * *

The distinct Marble stone for Itachi stood alone, in the furthest of corners in the cemetery, a Lusterless mute memory for the once brightest star.

' _Always distinct, always a loner' he mused as he poked the stone._

"It is strange how, after all what happened between us, all those differences cultivated over years of bitterness and rivallry, we end up so alike. I don't know what to do. In fact, There is nothing for me to do, it is all hers. I ... I screwed up and you aren't here to carry the burden for me, to pickup the pieces, to help me. Neither is Naruto. It is hard for her, it has always been hard. She was always the receiving end for so much tartness, so much coldness and abandonment. It still surprises me how does she manage to be so kind .. So cathartic and so gentle" he sighed "In the end brother, It turned out Candor isnot our grearest forte"

* * *

The door clicks when he is back. He walks towards the weak light illuminating the room he left her in, dwelling on what to do, the way out of the tightest corner.

The moon, they both observed, was obscured by clouds, it was the darkest hour of the night.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" her tone is cold, empty. A hollow semblence of her voice, a mocking emulate.

"That I am diseased or that I am dying, why? What would have they done? Wire me up in a hospital, neither dead nor alive? and Who is anyone? Naruto who spent half of his wretched life trying to bring me back only to realise all his efforts were in vain and that I am a goner. Kakashi who would bottle it up then warp his mind around some sick habit or fantasy as an escapade of the painful reality, Shikamaru who sees and deals with everything as a minor drag or maybe one of the fangirls you mean ." he replied with a deadweight voice.

"Me, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because at first, it didn't mean so much, but later, it meant so much. I didn't want to hurt you or myself for the matter. I thought I could push you away, but it has spiralled out of my control, it has escalated and I didn't know what to do" he answered in a resigned voice

The icy demeanor she tried so hard to muster cracked under his resignation, the desolation exuding out of his form. It siddled into a pool of tears that extinguished the embers of rage.

She broke into rattling sobs, wails that she tried to muffle with her hands, so small and useless against the power of disease, the power of despair.

"You have every right to be angry, every right to leave, to ask me to leave and ..." he sank to her level, in a scene so similar to the one when he provoked her, when she was mourning herself, mourning Neji.

"Does it change anything?" she tearfully demanded

"Just don't cry like this, for God's sake. I am sorry I hurt you so much"

"I am not crying because I am just hurt, I am not crying for me even; I am crying for you, Idiot"

And as he registered the statement, the first time she insults someone, him none the less, he couldn't help but chuckle. As mirthless and bitter as the whole situation is, she managed to amuse him even at the lowest point of pain, of heartbreak.

"Then don't cry for me, Hinata Hyuuga ... I am unworthy of your tears, lest of all, your affection, your compassion. I am just a lying selfish bastard"

It didn't stop her from crying even more

"It hurts, seeing you cry, hurts far more than any ailment, far more than anything. Hinata. Please" It is his voice that is breaking now. "I am so sorry" He said as his lips brush tenderly against hers, as his forehead leaned against hers, a gesture so unlike his former habit of poking her forehead, putting as much distance between them, a proclamation of his own to her

' _No more distance_ '


	23. Injustice

**Chapter 22: Injustice**

"Where should I hang this?" She asked as she pointed to the frame beholding their wedding picture.

Hinata managed to convince him to dig it out of hiding. It was now leaning low against the wall, as she contemplated the perfect spot to assign the frame to.

"Anywhere?!" He hesitantly answered, arching one brow at her self presumed dilemma.

"You aren't helping!"

"Well, I am afraid it is not particularly my area of expertise, besides, I was thinking about moving from here altogether"

She looked inquisitively at him, demanding more clarification on his part.

"It is neither practical nor safe, anymore, having you venture on daily basis to your clan's abode or the both of us being alone here"

"You want us to move to the Hyuuga compound?"

"Not necessarily, your clan was the only clan that got attacked, in fact I think it has something to do with their incessant want of the Byakugan, one that I want to figure out the reason for, now back to the picture, any ideas?"

"Do you remember where your parents had hung theirs?"

"In the Living room, wall opposite to the entrance, why? Are you taking over their spot?" He sounded slightly hurt, offended even. He may have removed their pictures. He may have wanted to lock down the memories of his family as means to avoid the resurface of the deep heartache, its flaring from its dull state, but he didn't wish to replace those memories or entirely obliterate them.

She smiled at him, understanding the cue in his voice, the hint of sadness and his wish to respect the memory.

"Nopes, I don't believe in taking over someone else's spot" she said as she dragged the heavy picture frame over the floor "But, you can always use a similar place or an adjacent space"

* * *

"It is not in your nature to be that quiet" Shikamaru handed Naruto a cup of steaming green tea "Problems with Sakura again?"

"How do you always know?" Naruto incredulously asked

"Nobody other than Sasuke has the power to frustrate you this much, and since Sasuke is quite absorbed in his own business to pose any problem to you, it isn't hard to deduce"

"Your Mr. know it all nature can be grating sometimes" Naruto huffed before sipping a small measure of the warm drink "It is nothing serious or unusual anyway"

"What? She is still hung up on Sasuke?"

Naruto stared at the rippling green surface of his cup

"I honestly don't know, Shikamaru. Sometimes, I feel she is over him, other times I feel she is not. Sometimes, she seems interested in me, in us but others … I don't know" He shook his head tiredly "She is sending off mixed signals that I can't quite understand"

"You know, I feel very lucky I wasn't smitten with someone who had a pathological crush on poor Sasuke" Shikamaru sighed "I mean, Ino was totally into him at a time that she was driving herself crazy and even when She and Sai became interested in each other, she was still a bit hesitant and Sai being the emotional cripple he was, didn't know how to handle it when she'd try to morph him into an even more Sasuke lookalike. She almost called it quits until someone forcibly knocked some common sense in her and in Sai."

"What do you think I should do? We weren't on the best of terms when we left, we haven't corresponded since"

"I know Sakura is demurer and more stable than Ino, I think it wouldn't be that hard making a break with her. You can write to her, tell her to make up her mind and stop stringing you like this So you can move on or stay"

 _'Move on'_ the idea felt so foreign to Naruto's mind

" or you can better wait till we return to Konoha. I am asking for a shift soon" Shikamaru continued hid suggestion.

"Why? Is everything alright there? Temari-chan is fine?"

"Yes, but you see, she needs someone with her now that she is pregnant and all"

"What? How ...?"

"As for how, I am sure you have been associated with Jiraiya and Kakashi long enough to understand how"

"I mean, how did you know, lazy bum?"

"Temari & I have our secure line of communication"

"Congratulations, Shikamaru" Naruto happily quipped as he patted his friend's back however his happiness didn't last that long, he was absorbed back in thoughts

"Now what Naruto, Depressed was never your look"

"I just remembered Jiraiya as you mentioned him, All the money he made, the name he built up for himself as a fighter, but he never got what he wanted, he never believed he'd end up Happy. Strange now, that I am feeling exactly the same way, that I will not end up entirely happy"

Shikamaru didn't want to respond.

He didn't it find it in his heart to dispute his claim. After all, they come from Konoha and Konoha isn't reputed for Happy endings.

* * *

"You haven't been your annoying overzealous self lately, missing the dobe? Or is he giving you trouble?"

Ino has been eyeing Sakura lately, always spacing out and over worked. Sakura, in turn, didn't feel comfortable under her antagonistic friend's gaze.

"Or is it Sasuke?" Ino worriedly presumed.

Sasuke, the wedge in every relationship in Konoha.

Sakura diverted her gaze from her friend, she wasn't prepared for this confrontation, no, she wasn't.

"Don't ignore me, billboard brow"

"I … I don't know what I want anymore. I mean, Naruto is trying too hard but something is off with me and I am not being fair, I am not being fair neither to him nor to myself..."

"Sakura, what do you know about, Sasuke?"  
Sakura looked surprisingly at her.

"I mean, do you know the real Sasuke, because once upon a time, I thought I do, I thought I knew this guy, I thought I loved this guy, I was going to destroy the best chance I have ever had and the kindest, most sensitive guy I have ever known for the mere assumption. In the end, it was Shikamaru who snapped me out of it in the most gruesome talk he ever directed to me, effective but gruesome and worst true. I almost lost Sai in the process. Sakura, we never knew who Sasuke really was, we never knew him, so in turn we couldn't have loved him. We fell in love with an illusion, a beautiful drawing we constructed to our own liking and fantasy then we just loved it. All we ever saw was very shallow pieces of Sasuke, strewn across different planes of wars, face offs and tragedies. In fact, I can't comprehend how you of all people, the one who saw him at his worst, the one whom he directed a lot of his rage at could have something for him still. This is not healthy."

"I know, but ... I can't help it. I just feel like ... I feel like he is mine"

"Well, He isn't and probably will never be, there are no options here, Sakura. Have you seen him lately with Hinata in town? Have you heard about them? They are way beyond totally smitten and they are happy. Your friends, your comrades are happy, why don't you want to be?!" Ino exasperated told her

"Sort out your mess, Sakura. Before Naruto gets tired, before you get tired. Neither of you deserve this" She pleadingly urged her "Besides, He is a gentle kind guy, He may not look very bright but he is good none the less, he will take good care of you"

"Sounds like you have a crush on him"

"Maybe, after all, he is a hero and isn't very bad looking either with his bright blue eyes"

"Ino-pig"

"Billboard brow"

Ino earnestly hoped that her friend would take her words to heart, that she would at least consider them and think them through instead of wasting her life in a never ending pseudo-heartbreak.

* * *

"Tell me a story, I can't sleep" She whispered as she snuggled against him, her head resting onto his chest, her midnight hair sprawled across.

"I have practically told you the entire history of the clan over past days, I have told you all the stories about me when I defected out of Konoha in detail. Hinata, I have no more stories to tell"

He didn't know if she devised this story telling ploy because she simply enjoys them or to keep him beside her at night or maybe to know him a little bit better. In fact, he was surprised to find that he actually complied and went along with her whims like this.

' _It is the way to preserve the legacy of your clan, after you are gone' A part of him darkly muttered._

"Then sing to me"

"I am tired, Hinata"

She tilted around just a little bit, lifted her head of him and propped her self on one arm.

He could see her face, dimly illuminated by pale strands of moonlight streaming off their window.

"I wanted to speak with you about that" She inhaled sharply before resuming "Sasuke, you never thought about contacting Tsunade, letting her onto this condition so at least we could see if she knows something, if she can find a better medicine or even adjust the current doses to relieve or palliate your increasing symptoms?"

He stiffened at her suggestion. Sasuke knew that Kina was a capable apothecary and healer, and since he said that he was past salvage, he assumed he was. He accepted this and locked his mind around this idea.

"You want me to go to Tsunade?"

She coyly nodded her approval.

"Fine, I will"

She looked genuinely thunderstruck.

She expected massive resistance on his part, and a huge argument at that, but he simply and as usually knocked her out of balance with his unpredictability.

As though reading her mind he smirked as he proceeded "You don't look uplifted? Disappointed much, Hyuuga?"

"I … I just didn't expect you'd agree this easily"

"I owe you that, Hinata, I should have been honest, I should have been candid about my condition from the start. I shouldn't have been so unjust as to corner you in such a tight spot as binding yourself to a dying man. I am going for you although I don't want you to have your hopes up."

"You could have fallen ill, after our marriage, like today, in ten years or in old age. Do you think I wouldn't have loved you or kept loving you because of that? Sasuke, I love you. I want to be with you whether you are diseased or not. Whether you live one hour or a hundred years. I was angry, yes, because as you said you weren't honest, but not because you aren't fine. I am bound to you, yes, but by my own will and I am not expecting anything. I don't want you to be in pain, or to waste any opportunity to get better or to miss out on life"

"If there is one breathe of life left in me, I wouldn't want anything more than to share it with you, Hinata." He thrums as he pulls her back against him, kisses the top of her head.

He wants to indulge her, every part of her that he could reach.

"Sasuke" She moans, whispers against his skin "Ì just want you to hold on, to stay with me as much as possible. Is it so wrong? Is it so wrong to love you this much?"

He doesn't answer. Already there is another question on his mind.

' _Why does Love hurt so much?'_


	24. Eye to Eye

**Chapter 23: Eye to Eye**

Tsunade's eyes remained stoic and fixed, her face impenetrable as she immaculately examined the young man lying on the bed in front of her.

She was careful not to twitch, or quiver throughout the procedure in fear of extinguishing the speck of hope in the lingering Doe eyes staring at her, trying to decipher every hint and cue she gives.

Hinata couldn't help but cling to that tiny sliver of hope her heart betrayed her in nurturing.

"Get up" Tsunade ordered him

She has already ordered further testing and investigations be instigated on him and was now reviewing the list of medications and doses Kina specified.

"Quite the combination, your friend here is a capable healer" She commented

"He kept me going this long" he sombrely replied

"You should have come earlier" She tried to keep her tone contained, even.

"It would have mattered, wouldn't it?" Tsunade could sense him starting to slip back into defensive.

Anyway, that she couldn't answer.

"Until the investigations are completed and their results are out, I shall substitute a single constituent in his combination with a more potent drug and accordingly some of the doses will have to be increased. This shall relieve your symptoms considerably. However, if you experience some major side effects or your symptoms are exacerbated, you shall report to me immediately and it is essential you don't exhaust yourself, at any cost. I think your friend has already told you that"

"You can both get going" She motioned for them to leave her office

"Tsunade" he called out at the door "You already understand that we don't want the reason for our visit to be disclosed to anybody but you"

"I understand, Sasuke. There is nothing to worry about" She tried to reassure the wary man before her, hiding every prompt of dilemma and confusion she felt towards the situation.

' _He shouldn't go on missions nor should he participate in any tolling regiment of training, how can I prevent this if I can't disclose his illness to anybody?' She grimly thought._

* * *

A particular set of green eyes has been watching them as they exited Tsunade's office

' _They just seem entirely at ease together'_ _she resolved_

* * *

"So you want to head home?" she inquired

"Not really, come on, I would rather we walk around town for a little while, maybe buy you some cinnamon rolls or cotton candy or something" he suggested.

Sasuke could detect the somnolence, the anticipation and the weariness oozing out of her, she was crestfallen, let down, that he could sense.

' _She was hoping for the best'_

' _I told you not to expect so much' he internally repined_

On the other hand, she could feel him slightly agitated by her downward shift in disposition

' _He is trying to cheer me up'_

"You know what?" she tried to sound somewhat lighter "On second thought, you are right, let's walk around town for a while"

She engaged her arm around his as they marched onward into the village.

"So tell me, you have no favourite spot in the village?" She asked

"The Uchiha district, the valley of the end, if they count" he shook his head "Suffice it to say I basically just like to meander around town."

"I thought you wanted to move out"

"The district is not going anywhere. your safety is more important" he stressed

"You know, my favourite place in Konoha used to be the clearing close to your district … we used to go there before the massacre. My mother would take me there along with Neji before my uncle was killed. We would activate our Byakugan and spend hours star gazing, observing the massive stretch of the dark blue sky, stumbling upon shooting stars, moons upon moons."

"You should take me there, on the way home"

"Yes, I would" she approved

* * *

"Teme" Naruto shouted from across town

' _The dobe is finally home'_

He ran towards them waving his arms around.

"Hinata-chan" he acknowledged

"How many times should I tell you to stop being that boisterous, dobe? You have probably torn the ear drums of the entire population of Konoha."

Naruto made a slight offending face at his huffing friend before turning his attention back to Hinata

"Naruto-kun, I haven't seen you in a long time"

"Ah, Missions and all" he smiled sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head

"So, would you like to join us for dinner?" She politely invited

"I will have to pass on your impressive cooking tonight, I am meeting someone at Ichikaru's ramen"

' _Sakura' they knowingly looked at each other_

"Well, I hope you enjoy your meal, Naruto-kun"

"Hopefully, thank you, Hinata- chan." He turned towards Sasuke "Would it hurt you to be as polite and kind as your wife?"

He didn't bother to answer.

* * *

It was less crowded than he expected.

The usually buzzing ramen shop seemed to be struggling of late. The customer flow wasn't as used to be, supple and ample.

And as Naruto nibbled on his ramen, he started to notice the state of his favourite shop.

It was falling apart.

The counters were shaky,the tables were dusty, the paint was peeling even the ramen wasn't as tasty as it used to be.

Finally, she arrived, red eyed and puffy faced as he ordered a second bowl.

"Sorry, I am late, shifts and all" she tried to force a smile as to ease the thick tension hanging in the air like sharp knife between them, threatening to cut off the last thread connecting them to one another.

"Nevermind, I am used to this afterall"

He effectively shut her up.

"what would you like to eat?" he inquired as he signalled the waitress to return.

"I am not hungry. Maybe some water"

He continued to degust his ramen as she thoroughly watched him.

She was waiting for him to make a break in this.

"Where do you stand, Sakura?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. I am sick of this. I am sick of trying to outdo Sasuke every single time, in every single thing. This" he emphasised "isnot something I am planning to carry on doing. When I fell in love with you, I never expected to embark on a horse race with his shadow in order to win your heart"

There was nothing she could say, no lie to counter that truth or make it better.

"I know I have hurt you so much. Not that I have meant to but ... I thought I loved him" She could see him visibly flinch from the impact of her words "I thought I could break through to him, but I never did. Then he went away and suddenly I was so scared. Already we were starting to drift apart, and I didn't want to be left alone without either of you"

"So you just used me as a rebound"

"Part of you knew that"

He couldn't chastise himself. In his defense, he was so hung up on her.

"We should end this" It finally hit him, they were going nowhere like this.

"Don't just walk away from me ..."

"Sakura, I will always be there for you, as you teammate, your friend. But going on like this we risk losing itall"

"You are right, I was hoping to end this... But at the same time, I wanted to start over with you. I love you Naruto, part of me always did and it persists despite everything"

How ironic, the first time she proclaims to love him was the moment he was willing to let go.

' _Could it work this time?' he considered_

* * *

The next day, Hinata was summoned by her father for a private conference.

The clan's head motioned his daughter to sit down opposite him.

"You look so radiant, Hinata"

She fidgeted a little then smiled a bit as she tried to think of a proper comeback. All those years and still she wasn't used to talking to her father, to listen to his commendations.

She settled for passing by the pleasantries and opted to jump the core of the conversation

"Is it something urgent you want to talk to me about?"

He understood her cue, the loss and awkwardness she felt.

"I heard you and Sasuke frequented Tsunade lately, is everything alright?" he sounded so casual as he inquired although his eyes wouldn't avert from her face, as though trying to read into her thoughts.

Sasuke, a name that stirred an invisible blizzard of emotions behind the whites of her eyes, a conglomerate of feelings crossing her features at its mention.

"Everything is fine" She curtly responded before inhaling sharply

"Of all Hyuuga eyes, yours and Neji's were the most exceptional, almost the contrast to all those white impressionless eyes. Yours could show so much emotions, could reflect so much and lock so much at the very same time. Your eyes betray you Hinata, the sadness residing becomes evident Whenever I mention Sasuke."

"He doesn't make me sad"

"I know, he doesn't necessarily have to, but it could simply be an association, something about him that makes you so. Besides, it is not only sadness that shows, there is also a lot of affection, a lot of love" She chuckled as he emphasised the last word.

"And that is another thing I want to talk to you about after we are done with this, now that the year is coming to a close, is he still planning to leave?"

She knew she couldn't respond without giving Sasuke away, his ailment that caused him to stipulate his stay to one year and they made a pact long before that whatever happens between them shall stay exclusively between them.

"I don't know"

"I thought you both have become intimate enough to discuss this thing, not that I .."

"I don't want to talk about it" She sharply cut him, staring pointedly in his eyes, in hopes he would detect the unquantifiable weight in her eyes, the void of despair sucking her in and cease. She was already frazzled and drained by such weight.

"I understand" He solemnly nodded

"Anyway, I need you to speak with Hanabi for a while" he tried to dampen his tone in hopes he would lighten the already sobering mood

"What is wrong with her?"

"Sometimes I just can't handle her, and now with her attachment to this Konohamaru, she is rivalling you in making the headlines in town. She still has an image to live up to as potential clan's head."

"What are you exactly implying?" she looked up to him, amusement evident in her eyes

"In your defense, you were a whole lot subtler than her, whether during your incessant fascination with Naruto, or even now with your infamous Husband"

"You were aware all that long" she narrowed her eyes

"Hinata" he smiled "The entire village was aware, you didn't expect me to be that blind, did you? You have always been able to make it to the limelight, however hard you in particular try not to"

' _Why couldn't you be that easy, while Neji was alive?' She wistfully thought_

"Sometimes, I feel like I rushed things by nominating Hanabi as heir, I should have been a little bit more patient. She might be tougher, but still she is young and reckless. Sometimes I feel I should reappoint you" He sighed

"I waived that right long ago, in favour of sparing the right to be able to speak so openly and admonishingly to her as in case. I was never interested, anyway. Besides, Neji was always the best contender, better than me, better than Hanabi, I always wished he could be considered. In fact, I still hope our house could nominate Tama-kun in the future, but still the chances are slim." She resumed

' _You think more like me than I ever imagined' Hiashi thought._

* * *

He snuck up behind as she sat in front of the window, watching the morning dust whirl and settle into a flickering twilight line across the navy sky before snaking his arm around her waist.

"Everything went well today, with your father"

He planted a small peck on her exposed shoulder as she relaxed in his embrace.

"Yes, It did. It was something that had to do with Hanabi"

"I see" he grunted. Hanabi was a stark contrast to her milder more level head sister.

"And you, you have taken your medications?"

"I did, the first lot .. The rest I will take later at night"

"The adjustments, they are making you better?"

"As good as could be"

He was avoiding specific answers in favour of vague ambigous ones, in fear of boosting her morale up for nothing. The medications were working, yes but not at the rate she hoped it would, not at the rate he hoped it would.

"As long as you are fine, I am as good as could be" she assured him.

His hand was starting to roam the plane of her body

"That tickles" she tittered

"You know" he huskily muttered in her ears "I have been thinking about acquiring another Zetsu arm, just to be able to hold you tight in my embrace, to lock them both properly around you and never let you go"

She pried herself away from his arm as she manuoeuvred herself to face him before taking his head in both her hands and tilting it slightly downwards as her gaze met his, eye to eye.

"One arm or two, it is me who will never let you go" She passionately whispered as she brushed her lips against his.

* * *

They were awakened by the sound of their psychotic bluebird friend tapping on the window.

Though abstract, the omnious message carried enough unnerving news:

Killer B was dead

Orochimaru's hideout has been raided by Kumo ANBU

There was some proposed link between the Byakugan and the tailed beasts

Kumo and Iwa has dispatched ships & cohorts on their way to Kirigakure

In short, the fifth Shinobi war was officially starting.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **One problem that I see in a Sakura vs Hinata showdown scenario is the fact that there is nothing that Sakura could hold against Hinata as to confront her about. As Ino tried to transmit to Sakura in the previous chapter, there was nothing btn them in the first place, no strings attached whatsoever between them and Sasuke.**

 **As for moving out, he didn't particularly specify going to the Hyuuga's although it is the safest option presenting itself, as he himself specified in this chapter, his memories , the district aren't going anywhere but her safety comes first.**

 **A thank you is in order for those who reviewed so far.**


	25. Asylum

**Chapter 24: Asylum**

"Killer B is dead"

Sasuke's voice was clinical, collected as he announced the news to the party of five, now gathered in the Hokage's office.

Naruto lurched backwards before sinking in his nearby chair, he didn't take lightly to the news of his outgoing friend and fellow Jinchuriki's demise.

"What happened to the tailed beast?" Shikamaru as ever keen minded was the first to recover, concern evident through his strained voice "He can't have let it off that easily"

"I am afraid the Raikage probably has found a new more complaint vessel for the beast. Iwa along with Kumogakure have also dispatched troops to Kirigakure, already on their way now, and, Kumo has raided some of Orochimaru's hideouts, meaning they might have acquired some of his research and added some of his biological weapons to their Arsenal"

"So, they are raiding Kirigakure, the richest nation in the five lands, which is torn into a thousand factions and is in no shape to defend itself whatsoever with advanced weaponry right now."

"I see no point in repeating what Sasuke has just said, Kakashi. What do we do now?" Hiashi's lumbering voice bounced off their ears "They are on their way to acquiring massive funds that will certainly be directed towards financing and refining their already advanced artillery rather than feeding the starving population, what for?"

"Conquering the rest of the hidden villages, the question is which one is next? And what can we do to minimise the damage?" Sai presumed

Sasuke nodded his agreement

"I need to relay this to Yamato and Kankuro at Ushio" Shikamaru announced

"First, we have to decide what to do about Kiri? We can't just let the face the onslaught on their own" the recovering Naruto inquired

"We can't send troops over there right now, already we have some stationed in Ushio, we need the rest to defend the village had they attacked" Kakashi clarified

"But ..."

"This isn't how things are handled, Naruto" the Hokage smiled wistfully at his young idealistic counsellor "However, we need to secure communication channels, a form of link to Kirigakure in order to procure and send aid or help if it is needed"

"To what end? Why would we do that?" Sasuke uplifted his demoted head, as he propping his slanting body off the wall.

He stood upright, facing their questioning sceptical eyes.

"What are you aiming at?" Kakashi inquired

"The end of all this, Kakashi. A bigger picture. A more strategic plan than the recurrent letting the war happen and taking on the defensive."

"This is not the most suitable time"

Sasuke shifted his attention towards the admonishing Clan's head

"When is the most suitable time in your opinion? When one of those crazed hungry maniacs succeed in ascending to power over the entire realm?!" he indignantly replied

"So we should turn to bigger tyrants in order to counter them? That is what you are suggesting?"

"Good god, I am saying that we don't have to victimise ourselves and fall prey to their likings. Whatever course of action or plan we undertake must heed that"

A particular understanding, dare say approval even, seemed to flash off Sai and Shikamaru's eyes.

"Sasuke, we already talked that, before. The initiative you aspire to is hard, Kakashi and Hiashi-san may not be able to understand it or work on it right now." Naruto interposed, hoping he could dispel Sasuke's buildup of frustration and anger.

"I am not demanding we put it in action right now, I demand we just consider it. Is it that much?" He huffed

"At least, let's get out of this with something, we have to secure a logistical line with Kirigakure ... fast. Sai, Naruto, that is your job for the time being." Kakashi stated with a finality. It was no time to start a lengthy argument, so he thought.

* * *

"You were quite too aggressive in there." Naruto casually noted

"Sometimes, Kakashi gets too consumed in a sole line of direction that he needs someone to snap him out of the gutter. He has to think of the bigger picture"

"You acted like you were the Hokage, not him"

"Well, whatever I did I know it was right"

"Always a conceited snob" Naruto shook his head as he stated in good humour "Anyway, it is sad this raikage disposed of Killer B, he was a good man" Naruto looked down cast.

"Indeed … It is scary to think what people like this raikage are capable of doing"

"It is even scarier to think what they can lure us into doing, Sasuke. It is scary to think that in the process of standing up for that murderous Kage, we can even turn bloodier"

"Why is everybody telling me this? What are you implying?" Sasuke's steps got heavy, sturdier than before.

"You have always been prone to getting carried away, even when your intentions are good, But don't worry" he smiled "I will always be here to stop you and bring you back"

Naruto's stride was wider; he was now a couple of feet ahead of Sasuke, the bright blue light in continuum with the contrasting deep dark crimson shadow.

"Wait up" He called after him "I wanted to speak to you about something."

Naruto stopped before turning back to him expectedly.

"Kurama"

"What about him?"

"I need to speak to him"

Naruto's head jerked back at his friend's request.

It occurred to Sasuke that maybe the ancient tailed beast would know what was so special about the Byakugan that drove Kumo obsessively into wanting to acquire it.

"About?"

"The Byakugan"

He quizzically looked at his friend

"Orochimaru thinks that there is a connection between the tailed beasts and the Byakugan. That it is why they are so adamant on having it."

It was an alarming development

"You told Hiashi-san about this?"

"No, I just told him to keep an eye on his clan's men until we can figure out the extend of truth of this claim"

As they stepped out to the streets, Naruto could see the ghostly puff of their breaths scattering against the transparent plane of cold.

The last winds of Autumn were brewing steadfast troubles heading towards Konoha.

* * *

That night the blue bird visited his house again

Team Taka was seeing the asylum he promised them not so long ago.

* * *

They marched their way through the reputed busy town, so foreign to their vagabond likings guided by their former de facto leader.

"Where are you taking us, Sasuke?" Suigetsu sneered

"To the Hokage's office"

"Are you turning us in?" Jugo's mind was already starting to turn, to formulate and speculate the worst of scenarios, so deranged and gruesome.

Sasuke spared the bipolar follower a single side glance before scoffing

"I thought you kept him on medication"

"We ran into your wife as the guards accompanied us to you. The good guard pointed her out and Kabuto here could recognise her. She is quite fancy" Suigetsu coolly stated, as sly edge to his voice, causing Sasuke to stiffen for a brief moment, before quickly gaining composture. "She seemed so dainty and refined, like a Hokage or a Hokage's wife would be" he proceeded, aiming to strike his ire even more, to deliver a point across.

Sasuke kept moving one, appearing undeterred by his trite comment. However, discreetly his one hand tightened around the hilt of his sheathed Kunai.

"Of course, she is. She is from the main house of the prestigious Hyuuga clan. You should have observed her cousin; he carried himself in such regal manner" Kabuto interjected in effort to derail the weaving tension created by Suigetsu's unneeded remark.

Karin stayed silent the entire path to the Hokage's office.

 _'She looks warm, so kind and warm that she is hard to begrudge' she thought as she remembered how Hinata unnerved as she seemed smiled at her politely when her desdainful gaze lingered longer than should be while they were passing_

* * *

Kakashi proceeded to instruct them about the laws and rules they'd have to follow during their stay in Konoha and the fact he'd put them under surveillance and probation until deemed safe enough to roam free through the leaf village.

"It is of utmost necessity you provide us with a compiled list about the weaponry the Raikage could have obtained" Kakashi finalised before dismissing them to a designated lodging.

"Where is Orochimaru? and Why do you think they have come here of all places?"

"He wouldn't seek refuge in the village he despised so much, that is what Kabuto disclosed. As for coming here, it seems the Raikage has eyes everywhere and is expanding his hegemony and reign of terror among the relatively smaller neighbouring villages, they'd have turned them in" Sasuke calmly replied.

"Do you think they will stay here for long?"

"Not all of them at least, I am planning however to use their stay to the utmost advantage"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow inquisitively at Sasuke.

"We should establish a research base"

"Like Orochimaru's"

"No … an audited more humane base"


	26. The Heavy Heart

**Chapter 25: The heavy heart**

Her reasons for inviting Tenten over to tea weren't entirely guiltless.

"So, He still gets that Stomach ache when he is around me or Sasuke"

"I don't know, I have taken him to Sakura and she said he is as good and as healthy as a stead, she said it is maybe something psychogenic ... in short, you spoilt him too much for my taste"

Hinata stifled a laugh

"I didn't. we, Hyuugas are never spoilt and in turn never spoil anybody"

Tenten squinted her eyes whilst looking pointedly across to Hinata "Like Neji wasn't ever spoilt, neither is Hanabi or you for what matters"

Truth was while the Hyuuga's main House affairs weren't exactly the most typical nor the coziest, they did have the perks and benefits of such Prestige and its accompanying financial bestows.

"That's why you don't want to move to the Hyuuga compound"

The task of trying to convince Tenten to move to the Hyuuga's district was delegated by Hiashi and Sasuke to Hinata, being the closest to Tenten and Tama.

"So that is what you really want to tackle"

"Look, I know my father's incessant imploration has given you whiplash, but this time, I think you should comply. Even Sasuke wants us to move out of here. Already they had the impudence and impertinence to try to attack us in our village for the Byakugan. It will be much safer. There will be much watchful eyes guarding him until this whole mess … this war is over"

Tenten appeared to be contemplating the proposed by her friend

"I can protect him, you know. Rock lee and Gai sensei can help."

' _I can protect him in all the ways I would have protected Neji'_

"I know and they would help but think about it. Right there, it will be all the Hyuugas in addition to Your team and Sasuke, all at his beck and call. The chances are much slimmer they could approach him, let alone reach him, god forbid with all of us there"

"I don't want him to be around this demeaning council of yours, they are domineering, harsh and cruel. They would suffocate him."

"Not with Sasuke and my father around" Hinata assured aiming to quell her lingering apprehensions "Or is there something else?"

Hinata's gaze was downcast as she searched Tenten's face for another reason of Hesitance, a reason she seemed to have deciphered, to have identified and read from those fleeting signs that swiftly swept across Tenten's face.

' _Too much memories there, it is hard'_

"I will think about it Hinata, I promise I will try" with this Tenten placed the empty China cup on the Zataku in front of her

' _His safety first'_

"Now, about you and the ice prince" Hinata looked up in disbelief "How is it going?"

"For the umpteenth time, stop calling him that"

"Quite well I see" She playfully teased "Where has gone? I haven't seen him since like a million years"

"He is out, with Naruto"

"Mmmm and you, Hanabi told me you haven't been feeling well of late"

"It is nothing, nothing serious, I just feel slightly tired that's all"

"Slightly? She said you had a syncopal attack"

"I just got dizzy and nauseated, everyone gets so once in a while"

Tenten now eyed her flustered friend suspiciously, an invoked flash of vague recognition in her eyes

"You sleep well these days?"

"Like dead, even Sasuke is complaining about it"

"Hinata, since you have become intimate with Sasuke, did something occur behind schedule or got tardy or irregular or whatsoever?"

"What are you talking about?"

Tenten extended her head in exasperation

' _She could be so naïve and dense sometimes'_

Hinata seemed to be adding two and two together before realisation fully hit her in tow

"You think I … I am pregnant"

"I think we should get up and see Tsunade"

* * *

Naruto's voice falls on his ears, distorted and disjoint in his vegetative haze.

"Sasuke, hang on"

' _I promise you someday, I will bring you back'_

Something is thrumming in his ear, turbulent, fizzy, stirring in spiral currents

'Sasuke!" Naruto's voice is panicked, his eyes helplessly darting, looking around for something, someone.

His hands work autonomously, as he lifts his ailing friend, leaning him backwards against some remnant column of the once mighty sculpted stone in the valley of the end …

' _Everything commenced in the valley of the end'_

The beast's voice, lumbering … and … heavy floats up to the surface of his subconscious

' _All of us, tailed beasts as indomitable as we are, have a bounded vision, a limited field. When the Jinchuriki is a Byakugan weilder however, we are able to see through these eyes of his, everything … circumferential … the same visual field … the same limitless sight. The beast's Chakra with a Byakugan weilder's is a dangerous combination … omnipotent. And the Chakra transformations are unpredictable. Remember Madara and his metamorphosis into Kaguya. That's why Dojutsu weilders are rarely chosen as Jinchurikis if considered at all'_

The beast's eyes were transfixed on him, studying him like an exotic specimen …

' _That is enough, you are in pain' It heaved, rumbled as it smiled 'Whatever seeds you have strewn across the Hyuuga lands are dangerous ones'_

His journey through Kurama's mind was a tolling venture.

Naruto douses him with water, in hopes his listless body would wake up from his demented state, snap out of this heavy trance.

And he succeeds, Sasuke's eyes open sluggishly … weakly against their obstinate will to stay shut.

"Home" he gasps

* * *

It is a small tinder of ebullience that ignites slowly within her chest, unfurls and unravels ... as Tsunade's confirms their auspicious guess

' _You are Pregnant'_

It explodes and flutters like a thousand fireflies, like flapping the wings of a restless hummingbird carrying it through the fickle air of joy.

But then she remembers Sasuke and that vast space filled up with joy is taken up by something else:

Worry.

And when he comes, she doesn't expect him to come limp, carried and winged by Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, please summon Tsunade-sama, bring her quickly for heaven's sake" she ushers Naruto as They set him on the bed.

* * *

"All the progress we achieved with your treatment has gone to waste" She grimly muttered "You have been stressing yourself out, of late"

"Do you honestly think I will survive?" His tone is one of bitter sarcasm

She turns her head to face him, eyes stone hard as she answers

"Well, I don't know. But you have a friend out there and a wife waiting with all those things she wants to tell you. You have to try"

She summed up all the things he feared in a single statement.

* * *

The rain, pouring for most of the afternoon has stopped, sidling into small pools on the cobblestone roads he has been roaming for hours now, unsure of where to go, of what to do.

He feels cold, so utterly cold and lonely.

The earth is spinning to fast for him.

 _He sat there motionless, fretless after Tsunade has left, watching his friend lying in bed for a good length of time._

' _I haven't known you like me that much'_

' _Shut up, arrogant prick'_

 _Naruto's smile is sad, heavy and so Phoney, so fake; the fakest Sasuke has ever seen._

' _Kurama here told me that you are unwell, physically unwell'_

' _And how did he quantify this unwell he told you?'_

 _Naruto drew his gaze downwards; the seconds were passing heavily._

His legs forge their way to this house he used to frequent so many times, to stalk and wait around … and his hand lands heavily on the door in steady loud knocks

"Who is it? Coming in a second" she chirrups as she runs towards the door.

He is a watery mess

His hair, unruly and sticking out, has fallen flat on his eyes, his clothes are dripping and his face … it is streaked ... with red eyes betraying so much pain threatening to spill out of him

"I didn't know where else to go"

He clings onto her, like a tree anchoring him against blusterous winds

"Come in" Sakura led him inside

* * *

"There is something unsung in your eyes" He smiles as he sits up in bed, waiting for her to speak.

She is hesitant. Her lips trembling, as words floundered with trepidation on the tip of her tongue … the worst case scenarios unravelling before her very eyes

"Hinata, are you alright?"

"I … I am pregnant"

He was stunned

* * *

He kept crying without a word all while Sakura was watching him, holding him and whispering whatever

comforting words that came across her mind

"Easy here, you will be alright" she tenderly whispered.

' _It is terminal' Kurama told him_

* * *

It was one of those moments his mind was whitewashed, blank. His heart was beating fast, its weight tugging at his soul, bringing his entire tangible weight down a bottomless well.

A storm rages behind his eyes, and a thousand ominous thoughts he tries to drown and suffocate.

It is a sheer moment of consternation and …

"Do you want to keep this baby?"

"Do you think I would ever consider otherwise?" she incredulously replied

"It improves your chances of moving on after I am gone" His voice coming forced cold against the warmth that stung at his eyes.

For the first time, he can't brake it until he is alone, he loses control and he cries for the first time in front of her petrified form and he can't distinguish if these are tears of bliss or wistfulness.

"I am afraid; I won't have proper time to love him"

* * *

She brought him dry clothes and hot tea … even offered to cook him ramen if he wanted.

He felt grateful

"I am sorry I have crashed like this"

She offers him the brightest of smiles he had ever seen, one he would have brilliantly returned, would have made his heart leap had the circumstances been better.

"It is no problem at all, I am glad you thought of me, I am glad you came"

"Thank you, Sakura"

"You won't tell me what bothered you so much"

"It is not mine to tell"

"I understand" she quietly nodded

He departs just as the first snow of winter falls from the sky.

* * *

"I don't want to bring a child to this world, not so dissimilar from ours" he breaks down

"It won't be as similar, trust me" she tried to appease "We will make it better for him, I swear, we will take care of him"

"Our fathers and their forefathers thought so as well…"

"We are stronger, a thousand times stronger. You are stronger than your ancestors and even if otherwise, we will protect this child, you and me against all the world if we have too"

"The child will learn all what I had done, all that I can do and he will hate me … he will be ostracised like Naruto before him, like me "

"You have saved the realm and you continue to do so despite all the hell it has gotten you through, the child will be proud of you, will be as strong and as optimistic and as powerful as you, as Naruto ... even more. He will be loved, by me, by you and by all our friends ... "She takes his hand in hers "and if he or she has quite your looks I guarantee they will adored by even more"

His face relaxed a little into a very small smile.

He wants to be happy, he wants to allow himself to revel the feeling of joy and anticipation of the new upcoming life his wife is nurturing, the manifestation of one unlikely fate and the continuum of one dying line.

His child … a part of him, with the love of his life

"Look out there, it is snowing"

He stands up on unsteady feet, their conjoint hands pulling him, guiding his strides across to the windowpane of the room.

And as they marvel together at the scene unfolding before them, of the heavenly frost, the white general falling from the vast moonlit Navy skies above, unexpectedly, she feels the tiniest of weight, the lightest of caress as his hand rests on the plane of her abdomen.

Autumn was gone, winter has just begun.


	27. The beating heart

**Chapter 26: The beating heart**

The weeks that entail, when they opt to move to the Hyuuga's main house, they settle in blissful bubble of pretense that everything will be fine, regardless of the war, of the ailment hanging like a scythe over his neck, waiting for the reap.

His smile comes more genuine, more authentic, less malicious and simpering than it has been in all those years that passed.

They fumble through their scattered pieces, the rubble of the past and the uncertainty of the future, trying to construct glimpses of the life they want to share with each other, with their beloved ones.

They unlearn the world as they know it and learn it anew through each others eyes.

He learns that loving comes easy as he watches the tiniest of bumps forming around his wife's abdomen and in later months he will learn to feel thrilled when she guides his hand over her stomach in hopes he would feel the tiniest of kicks the baby does.

And Hiashi watches both his daughter and her husband looking wholly happy, the happiest he had ever seen them, with no missing pieces, no catch in between, the same way he had watched Neji and Tenten's exhilaration before them.

* * *

"It seems we are too stubborn to just wither away easily, brother"

The cemetery is carpeted in white, covered with a neat layer of frost, and the headstones capped in

white, looking like the tiniest of domes … The scenery is pale lit in the tiniest shades of off white light against the grey back ground and the bleak dark barks of trees.

"The year has passed and … everything seems to be stationary … static of late, maybe it is sheer will or maybe it was an anomalous assumption to begin with or maybe I am the anomaly" He sighed

"Anyway, it is strange that after all those years where death was the only end I had in mind, the prospect of life seems to become … I don't know, appealing" his hand brushes against his face

He smiles one sheepish smile, like those ones they used to share between them so long ago "We have been discussing names, more like arguing really. Hiashi adviced to settle for a brand new name, he said something about a new life, a new name so hopefully a better fate."

He pays the last of reverence, recites the last of prayers before bidding his brother a see you later.

And as he walks past the memorial stones, those numerous squandered memories along the banks of the narrow road, he passes Neji's tomb.

He takes a moment to halt, to try and recognise the man he never knew yet shares too much with now, the man he grew this peculiar understanding with.

' _Maybe I should bring his son some other time'_

He nods in his direction, a single nod of respect, of mutual understanding and indebtedness before marching on his way back to the lands of the living.

As he straddled this line between both territories, he could see the form of his friend leaning against the gates

"Hinata-chan told me you would be here"

"Naruto"

"I came here to harrow you to the Hokage's, Urgent meeting"

* * *

Sasuke's face remained stoic throughout the journey, his uncovered eye fixated on the dry road upstream.

"You could have told me, you know, earlier" Naruto's tone is neutral, unlike what Sasuke expected, no hint of reproach or reprimand.

"That all those diligent and belligerent efforts you have invested in me have gone to waste, have yield to nothing"

"You make us sound like an insensitive investor and a dumb piece of land. We are friends Sasuke. It never works that way between friends. Wanting to return you back had everything to do with that. I deserved to know"

"So, you would just pledge one of your stupid promises of bringing me back"

"Maybe" He huffed "Does anybody else know? Kakashi, Shikamaru?"

"Hinata, you and Tsunade as of here"

"Will you tell anyone else?"

"No"

"But you can't go on missions or participate in this war as of your condition"

Sasuke doesn't answer him.

Naruto on his part remained speechless as well, despite having all too much to say, to inquire about.

He wants to lash out at him, to really do and just ask him if he ever mattered to him, at all. He wants to ask him if he is in pain, if he is scared.

But nothing comes out of his mouth in the awkward pause hanging between them.

"We are expecting"

Naruto's head lurched back in surprise

"What?"

"Me and Hinata, we are expecting a baby, thought you should know"

It took a few moments for the new piece of news to sink in

"I hear you say nothing, Dobe. Tongue tied or still the news couldn't make it through the dense fabric of your mind"

"Congratulations, Prick"

Naruto observed Sasuke as he sank deeper in thought before saying "I don't know what will become of this baby or of Tama" he looked expectantly at Naruto, as if conveying this silent message through to him.

"You don't have to worry so much" Naruto tried to soothe, as if he understood his cue.

"So you still have my back"

"Always mate"

"You know what" Naruto proceeded "I will find a cure for you, I promise"

Sasuke wanted to mock the rhetoric, to tell him to stop throwing promises left and right, but he decided against it. That was Naruto after all. It was how he functioned, an unstoppable force of sheer optimism and determination whom he already caused so much damage.

"And I think you should tell the Hokage and our fellow friends, they will be happy for you"

* * *

"Kirigakure has been lost to us, conquered. It is officially under Iwa and Kumo 's conjoint occupation" Kakashi grimly announced

* * *

Jugo stood still on the roof of the new facility, watching all those winter birds gliding and soaring so high above

"Come down here, Jugo. Or you will freeze off to death" Karin shouted at the wasted man

"Shhh … let me listen to the birds"

The birds carried brewings from the lands of stone.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hello,**

 **First, A thank you is in order for your reviews so far.**

 **Second, this will probably contain a lot of ramblings about this story and Naruto in general, so brace yourselves:**

 **Sasuke: his vision**

 **Towards the end of the original Manga, Sasuke had developed a vision about how he wanted the world to be. Although totalitarian and unorthodox, some of his ideas were actually not totally wrong.**

 **In this story he didn't relinquish his entire vision, he still retain some of the good ideas, rather his means are more rational and tame.**

 **Sasuke: the singer**

 **I wanted to give him a hobby like multiple characters in the verse, so why not make him musical, especially since no one in canon seem to be & the voice actor is actually a singer as well (Not that I'd comment about the quality of his voice)**

 **The canon Couples:**

 **One thing that made me resistant to them is the fact that I felt they were being shoved down our throats so forcibly, not to mention that at particular points they were becoming annoying, even creepy and borderline pathological.**

 **Sasuke and Hinata:**

 **The first time I saw Hinata in the anime, sth screamed Sasuke in my mind. Maybe because they have similar colour palettes or due to being modelled on very closely related themes or the fact you can do almost everything with them (even write them as a loud couple as in road to ninja) but sth about them rallies the imagination and they do look good together judging by the fanart (one with them in traditional Japanese garb is particularly inspiring).**

 **Sakura:**

 **I don't particularly hate her, I actual like the character but I have this feeling she is always filling an exaggerated role than supposed to. T** **here were characters with richer backgrounds who were subdued in favour of her. And some of her internal monologues about Sasuke especially at the beginnig were so mundane and yes pathetic.**

 **Naruto:**

 **He strikes me as a character who knows precisely what he wants all along, if he said he wanted to be with Sakura, then he means it entirely. that is why I was thrown off balance with his attention being shifted towards Hinata, then when Neji died to protect them both, that blew the deal for me.**

 **Neji, itachi, Obito:**

 **I love them, along with Sasuke. Let's just say that the author Mr. Kishimoto wrote entirely brilliant characters, even if we hate what he did with them.**


	28. The pain and love of the illusionist

**Chapter 27: The pain and love of the illusionist**

He has pitted the entire realm against each other, then pounced to reap the pieces.

The Raikage has mobilised his forces towards Iwagakure in a step that wasn't anticipated by most. He already had a cohort stationed there among the little remaining Iwa Shinobi who weren't dispatched to combat in Kirigakure, a cohort who knew the layout of entrances and exists, the plans and counterplans of their gullible allies.

Most Notably, The Raikage, as soon as he conquered Iwa has slain his most esteemed friend and ally, the Tsuchikage in Cold blood, in an atrocity so similar to the one Iwa committed against Kiri long ago.

How Ironic, what goes around …

In Kirigakure, turned out most of the effective, battling forces were those of Iwagakure. So in the end he has merely set up both of them against each other, to deplete one another and after both parties were worn down to the bones, the Raikage's forces simply slayed the remainder of both Shinobi and effortlessly seized the hidden country, effectively cutting it off the world and putting it under curfew and Martial laws.

He had left the realm wriggling in shock, angst and worst of all … distrust.

Already, some of the smaller, neighbouring lands were offering their allegiance to the bloody state.

"He has played us all for fools"

Kakashi was reeling, the entire council was, save for Sasuke and Shikamaru.

Shikamaru's impassiveness was easy to interpret for he was always a collected man, a deep thinker who understood that sentimentality, panic, anger or whatever it be, was the shortest way to making mistakes.

Sasuke's however was unintelligible.

"I have been told he left Iwagakure in rubbles, utter devastation. The residents have been flocking outside to neighbouring lands" Sasuke commented

Shikamaru added "He has sent messengers to Suna, asking them to surrender"

"Where do they stand over there?"

"They are divided, Temari says. Some of them want to surrender in fear of what he might do had they entered the war. Others don't; thinking that whatever they do, this war is inevitable. The real problem however comes from the rotten seed of doubt he so subtly implanted" Shikamaru took a deep breath before resuming "He told them we are unreliable allies, untrustworthy. He proceeded to tell them we are powerless against him, that he is unmatched and that even with our tailed beast we won't be able to stop him. He also told them that all those years we have been seeking hegemony over the entire realm, so naturally we might be just using them. In short, he implied we might do exactly what he did to Iwa and leap on them instead"

"What do you suggest we do?"

"I don't know, Gaara actually doesn't mind being our ally at all, in fact he doesn't mind stepping Suna's power down in favour of the more capable Konoha but the rest of the council are doubtful" Shikamaru replied

"I don't know what they are scared of, Kankuro is the general leader of our conjoint forces after all" Naruto denoted "He knows most things about our forces anyway"

"I think we should sent some high ranked envoys to try and reach an understanding with their council and see where they will pick up from"

"Fine, Shikamaru. Assemble your envoys and get going" Kakashi permitted him

"I am thinking of taking Tsunade-sama and Hiashi-san, maybe Iruka-sensei"

"Maybe you can go as well, Naruto" Kakashi suggested "you are well received over there"

"I don't think I should, my place is either here or the base in Ushio, otherwise, it will be too risky to leave the village unarmed against their tailed beast"

That earned Naruto an awed look from Sasuke, Shikamaru and Sai in tow. He was really getting brighter, more task oriented!

* * *

"You didn't utter a word in there" Shikamaru denoted to Sasuke

"There was no need for me to say anything"

"So what do you think? About the whole situation, the whole issue? This Raikage?"

"I think he is a bloody idiot if he thinks he could permanently subdue the entire realm solely through a reign of terror. He is conceited enough to think himself invincible so he just burns every village he conquers down in a blatant display of censure instead of showing the residents some mercy or decency."

"Isn't that how you think we should build a unified united realm?" Naruto interposed

"Countries can never be built on such thing as treason, consternation or oppression. Whatever this guy is doing it is simply pillaging, looting at most, a farce of what we aspire to do. Naruto, countries are built on the basis of love, kindness … of trust ... firmness, pragmatism maybe but not cruelty. However, this guy if we take him down as should be will have served as a catalyst, a dumb catalyst for ending that bloody era of feuding wars and divergence so we can start an era of foundation of a united realm that can be ensued with prosperity"

"You said that countries are built on basis of kindness, love" Shikamaru entailed "Konoha has never been both to you, Sasuke,Nor to your brother or your entire clan or Naruto, even Neji for what matters. Does that make you an enemy as well?"

Shikamaru's eyes were bearing in his dark one, trying to peer through, analyse and assess all those shreds of thoughts loitering beneath the surface.

"Shikamaru, I don't think I can ever love Konoha again, I don't even recall that time long ago when I thought I did, but ... that wouldn't hinder me from defending the scattering dust of its lands if it is deemed worthy to be home to our sons ... if it would be kinder to them, progeny of the wasted … of the tormented"

"Do you think it can?"

"I am willing to take the risk"

Shikamaru averted his eyes in shame, sorrow even.

 _'It should have been kinder to your likings'_

* * *

They weren't prepared for was this particular turn of tide.

That day in the middle of the night, Kakashi summoned both him and Hiashi for a contingency council, a grave emergency, as the messenger put it.

They were greeted by the omnious news

Kakashi was sitting head in hands as he announced

"Kankuro has been abducted"

"That is a catastrophe on every level, our allied troops over their …" Sai exclaimed

"Yamato has taken charge for the time being, the problem is by far more complicated… Suna's troops are angry, their council is even more dubious and they suspect it is an intentional ploy to take reins"

"Why don't they consider the possibility it is Kumo that abducted him?! after all they have been foes since as far as we remember" Sasuke incredulously inquired

"They are back at being divided into two factions and this is quite as awful an indication as doubting us. It means there might be a potential mutiny in store or worse a coup d'état or civil tensions that this notorious Raikage could benefit from" Kakashi proceeded to explain "We need to retrieve Kankuro, to find him fast"

"Have they dispatched any ANBU or are they planning on a joint mission?"

"No, Sasuke. They don't want a joint mission."

"So, they will dispatch one"

"Yes, we will dispatch one as well, under your command"

And so Kakashi has officially assigned him for this mission

"No, you can't" Naruto joltedly objected … refusal evident in his dismayed blue eyes.

Kakashi , followed through by the others, turned their heads towards him, his eye locking curiously on his.

"There is no one as adept as Sasuke to lead this mission"

"It isnot about his adeptness"

"So ...?"

At that, Sasuke glared at him, prompting him to hold his tongue, barring him from speaking further. In turn, Naruto's eyes darted downwards, and were moving in a frantic horizontal nystagmus.

"Now, Shikamaru and Hiashi-san, we will have to advance your journey to Suna. You will have to leave tomorrow, so get prepared" he gave them cue to dismiss.

"and Sasuke, I need to speak with you privately"

* * *

"Naruto was so adamant against you going on this mission, so I am inclined to ask if there is something, a reason perhaps that I don't know?"

Kakashi was looking at him intently, expectedly as well. His eye searching for any hidden clues while Sasuke weighed his options, contemplated how to answer him carefully … you can never lie to Kakashi, that he knew well.

"I will tell you when I am back" he sternly replied.

Kakashi seemed torn whether to let him off the hook or pressure him further into knowing, the former seeming to tip the balance off to its side.

"Just know that, I will never be able to forgive myself if something happens to you or to Naruto while I am Hokage"

It is a proclamation that took Sasuke by surprise.

"Do you have any names suggested for the team in your mind?"

" A few. Karin … Suigetsu. I am also considering someone with tracking skills ... Hinata's teammate, Kiba maybe. And someone with a byakugan, if Hiashi can nominate one for me"

"So you aren't taking the birdman with you?"

"No, Jugo should stay here, to keep watch and monitor for news"

"Sasuke, I suggest you take Sai as well"

He knew he couldn't say no, as much as his supposed counterpart irritated him with his off hand comments, it was Kakashi's way to ensure he was alright and to keep an eye on him

"Fine, I will take him with me" Sasuke huffed

"So, when do you leave?"

"Tomorrow, midnight"

* * *

Outside the office, the band of three was waiting for him to emerge.

"Good, you are still here" he motioned towards Sai "Kakashi has assigned you on the mission as well, let's hope you are good" Sasuke challengingly smirked

"I was good enough to be dispatched to assassinate you, don't worry" he smiled brightly in this way that unnerved most people.

' _his sense of humour is even more morbid than Obito's' he thought_

"Good then, Kakashi should let you in on the details"

Once Sai was out of sight, Naruto yelled "Are you out of your friggin' mind? A mission in your condition?"

Sasuke's neck craned automatically towards the lingering Shikamaru who turned his gaze towards him before nonchalantly proclaiming "I already knew, Temari spotted you at Tsunade numerous times alone, without Hinata-chan. It doesn't take a genius to deduce two plus two"

' _The know it all bastard'_

"Well, I am not dead and I am competent enough to make my own decisions."

"Does Hinata even know about your most recent endorsement?" Naruto continued to angrily question "Did you even consider what she will say at all?"

At that he looked entirely guilty

' _I may not have known her saying in that but I am doing this all for her, for our child to live off safely'_

"It is none of your concern anyway" Sasuke sharply replied

"You know what, you are right. You have always a selfish inconsiderate son of a bitch anyway. So why should I give it a damn dime what happens to you" Naruto furiously stormed off, leaving a distraught Sasuke and a tense Shikamaru calling after him in his wake.

Sasuke motioned him to stop

"Let him be, he needs to cool some steam off anyway"

* * *

When he comes back home, he finds Hiashi has told her everything about both their departure. And when he tries to read between the lines for her impression, he finds her eyes are blank, real blank and he could find nothing brimming in her pristine orbs.

She spoke nothing at all.

The dawn of next day as they see him off, Hiashi assigns him, his most faithful servant Ko as a watch eye for his mission and bids the main house good bye as they wish him the best on his diplomatic endeavour.

And The rest of the hours pass between them in silence, only interrupted by a few words far and in between and an ocean of looks, lost glances going between them.

The final hour arrives, as he packs the few things he would give himself the luxury of taking along.

"You need help with packing"

He doesn't turn to face her as he speaks

"I should be done in a minute, thank you"

Another pause stretches between them

"I am sorry" he repines "I didn't tell you before taking the mission"

"I am not angry with you"

He was now forced to turn around to look at her in puzzlement and confusion

"You are a shinobi, an ANBU. This is your job in the first place. I was a Shinobi before this, I understand"

Her eyes take flight , away from him to an invisible distance before her, a horizon only she seems to see.

"I am scared" she quivers

"I am scared and I ... I don't want you to leave"

And for a nick of time, his breathe is hitched, held still by heavy metal chains locked in her eyes.

"I want you to stay with me ... I am scared someone will take you down .. Your body will fail you and The disease we have been fighting so vehemently would prevail and you won't come back to me .. I won't see you again . But at the very same time, I know you have to .. I know you are strong and you will come back. I know you have to for the sake of us, the village .. The entire realm . I would have gone as well, had I been in your place, if I wasn't pregnant but I can't help it feeling so afraid ..."

He moves towards her, holds her face to him before looking her in the eyes, her eyes so deep and tired .. so different yet so similar to his right now. He then wraps his arms around her, gently ushering her towards him, careful not to compromise the little bump between them.

"It is OK, everything is going to be alright" his lips tremble as he mutters those words in her ears and in the spur of the moment, as she hesitantly sighs against him, as she reluctantly lets those welling teardrops fall so freely yet so quietly onto his shoulderblades. He considers conceding .. Letting this all off and fleeing with her and their unborn child .. Somewhere distant .. Safe. After all ,he owes this village .. This realm nothing at all.

She holds onto him tighter,digs her nails into his back as if she has peered through his mind, as if she knew what he was thinking ...

' _You are no coward .. There is no other way .. If you flee , if you don't fight evil, It will follow you, it will haunt you and your child. Evil is never content with a truce' their minds chided_

And so her grip slowly loosens on him

' _It is time'_

She breaks away from his embrace, her hands brushing away the tear streaks flowing down the angles of her face, marring her cheeks before looking up to him, lips twisting into a small sad smile.

He finds himself unable to walk away, rooted to the spot ... Unable to step away from the gentle clasp of her love, so overwhelming and strong into the dreary world outside.

Again he advances one step towards her, the tips of his fingers raising her head up to him as he looks her in the eyes once more

"come on, you look so tired, let's put you to sleep"

He sounds so tender .. He looks so tender, the tenderest she had ever seen him

"You have to go, your team is waiting"

"they can wait a little bit longer"

He keeps whispering those sweet nothings in her ears as he lulls her to slumber, he keeps telling her it will be alright as she clutches on him, as they relish each other's warmth

"I promise I will come back .. As soon as it is over. I will come back for you, the both of you and we will go back to resuming treatment with Tsunade. It will turn out alright, believe me. It will be alright" he whispers

And the next morning she will wake up to his side of the bed empty and cold, without a single ruffle and she will wonder if all those nightly proceedings have ever happened , if they were a figment of her imagination, the summons of her dream world or if he has placed her under a genjutsu.

* * *

He walks towards the exit of the Hyuuga's land with heavy steps, dragging and slow just like her weary heartbeats as she slept off.

"I couldn't let you off without bidding you good luck"

He smiles up just a little bit

"I shouldn't have lashed out at you like this, I am sorry Sasuke"

He has always wondered how apologies ... everything came so easily to Naruto

"I deserved it"

"Anyway, stay safe. She needs you, the village needs you as well as me"

"you know what, Naruto? During the darkest of times, those days that have passed me as I kept descending further and further into the bottomless pit of madness and pain. I have always counted on you, that you will either bring me back or stop me if necessary. It has kept me going, that last thread of sanity. Indeed to the day I almost feel entirely secure, invincible even because I know I can always count on you. It is me who needs you not the other way round"

Naruto gapped at him, not knowing how to respond to this confession, so untimely yet so impeccable.

"Take care of them for me, until I am home, I will come back this time Naruto. I know I will. Until this mission is over, as long as I am not present, you will take care of her, of Tama and my child, of Tenten and the Hyuuga's mainhouse, of everything I have dreamt of. I entrust that to you, my one and only friend, my surrogate brother."

And with that, he marched ahead to his team, leaving his friend behind, slinging onto his words.

* * *

They sat opposite to each other, leaning their backs against two parallel walls, as Hanabi's eyes darting between them, trying to decipher the silent exchange taking place between them, the shadows of words conveyed through the eyes of the two knowing women, the two close friends

' _Is that how it felt when Neji was gone?'_

 _one avoids uttering the question, the other avoids answering, both in fear of being callous, of answering callously._

' _I hated he was gone, I hate every minute he is gone'_

 _There is an omnious thought that crosses Tenten's mind, one that she wants to dismiss as soon as it forms_

' _I hate that he is gone, nevertheless for you'_

 _In atonement, she strides over to the other side, Hinata's side, holds her hand in hers ... As the latter just leans her head against The other's shoulder_

"He is a survivor, Sasuke. He will come back" Tenten verbally assured


	29. I loved you so much

**Chapter 28: I Loved you so much**

He had planned on coming back yet he didn't plan on her leaving

* * *

 _The swirling columns of smoke were visible miles & miles away from Iwagakure_

 _The closer they ventured, the stronger it got .. The pungent smell of rotten flesh.. Of phosporus .. Of sulphur .. Of death_

 _The peculiar dog growled irritatedly as it kept jumping up and down , spinning erratically around Kiba._

" _Akamaru can no longer distinguish the smell, this is as precise as it can go"_

* * *

The town was a mess when he arrived

"We have been attacked"

He rushes to the hokage's office whereas Suigetsu carries Karin off to the hospital

* * *

" _Can you see anything?"_

" _This isnot another false trail" Ko assured_

* * *

He finds Hiashi head in hands in Kakashi's office

"Sit down" Kakashi grimly commands "I am sorry, Sasuke" his voice breaks

"What do you mean?"

"Hinata and Tama have been captured"

His vision became groggy .. Distorted ... As if a red scale has descended over the world,completely tinting it in all shades of crimson as his heart drops ten feet under.

* * *

 _Kankuro was badly beaten when they finally found him, legs battered in pieces ..._

 _They have taken their time in completey humiliating the once revered commander .. The inherently esteemed personnel_

' _That should hinder us furthermore' he darkly mused_

* * *

He turns his head towards the apologetic Naruto, all accusations itched on his stone hard face.

"How could you let this happen?"

"Naruto here isnot at fault, Sasuke" Hiashi finally spoke through a thinly restrained calm, an intimidating calm that usually preceeded a hurricane

"Then whose it?" he finally lashes out, punching through whatever coming up his face, thrashing at whatever facing him

"Mine" it is a dead weight voice that belongs to a desolate man, a man who had nothing left to lose, man who has failed his family not a single time ... But thrice

"It was an inside job. They were handed over. I never thought their impertinence, their greed would go this far. I never thought they'd stoop as low as siding with the enemy. Their commutes ... I never thought they would dare betray the entire village just to oust our house"

* * *

 _Their path to Kankuro's extraction was littered with blood ... Screams of pain echoeing off walls, walls that divide those dark catacombs to tiny cells, dark mouldy cells filled with torture, instruments of torture .. Hundreds of innominate stories, hazed and forgotten._

 _It made their blood boil .. Even Suigetsu was fazed_

 _"I maybe a killer but heck, they take it to whole different level of sadism, of venegence"_

* * *

They were captured by those bastards, they are in these bastards' hands.

His heart sank further and further into the well of rage, of despair.

"Hanabi .. Tenten, where are they?"

"In hospital, recovering"

"Sasuke, help me up" the weary sound of the man broke him out of his dark musings, Hiashi was tired, so tired and broken ... Finally the weight of everything caught up with the patient old man.

"I want to see them before doing a one final thing that should have been done long ago"

* * *

The hospital in turn was bristling, bustling with casualties.

The staff fussing around, scrapping and fumbling with whatever medical supplies they could find ...

The lines of wounded seemed to stretch everywhere.

Shikamaru was pacing to and fro ... Before peerng through delivery booth ..

Temari has gone into labour .. A preterm labour .. Just like her late mother.

Apparently, the ventures from Suna to Konoha, the pressure of handling diplomatics in such sensitive time has taken its toll on her.

Temari would make it, he 'd learn later on & under heavy resusitation, one of his sons would ...

The other won't.

Shikamaru would indeed be thankful , happy even despite the gloominess hanging over their heads.

And in the middle of all this, Sasuke can't help but envy him, his agitation, his mirth. He can't help but wonder if he would ever be in his place .

 _'So unlikely_ '

* * *

Hanabi was in stable condition, few fractured bones at most.

* * *

 _"If she dies here, I will kill you, I will cut you in half or better, your wife"_

 _Suigetsu hiseed as he took a longing look at Karin. Even the worst of psychopath could be brought down on his knees._

 _They have barely stopped her bleeding, and there she laid down limp on the solid ground._

 _"I would like to see you try" Sasuke calmly replied_

 _"I could have run off you know, I wanted to run off. I only ever took refuge in Konoha because of her. She wanted to settle down, I wanted to start a life with her. Finally after all those years pining after you, she started to take notice of me, she was even starting to look at me the same way she used to look at you ... And now all of this lies at stake, because of you and your stupid mission, so if she dies .."_

 _"I have let you mop around enough already. I will get the both of you out of here alive, this is my responsibility to reckon so enough with the empty threats"_

 _He could sympathise with Suigetsu, understand the root of his heartbreak on a whole new other level now, however if he waned, if he softened just a little, Suigetsu will keep going far, his anger would get the best of him and he would do something stupid._

 _He must always be kept in lieu._

On their way to Tenten, they passed Karin by. He stopped by the glass panel, taking a look at the now Stabilised Karin surrounded by Jugo, Suigetsu and the rest of team Taka.

She caught his shadow, behind the glass pane as she smiled at him before turning her attention back to the joyfully oblivious Suigetsu.

He has kept this promise.

* * *

The dam broke

Inside were Tsunade, Gai and Rock lee, trying to pacify the raving Tenten, never in their lives had they seen her so devastated, demented and out of control.

Even as she witnessed Neji die, she had been composed. She had silently mourned the friend she cherished, the husband she loved and was willing to heal and love for eternity had she been given the chance.

It was heart wrenching.

Her son's capture was the final straw that broke the strong woman, the weapons' mistress

Pain .. Sorrow they drag you down the rabbit hole of memories, all the antecedents leading to the downfall playback in livecolours, vivid details.

Mourning transcends the event unfolding, we never exclusively mourn the present.

We mourn a leading past.

We mourn a lost future.

"Why did you have to do this to me?" She cried "Why did you have to leave me? to leave us? Can't you see we needed you, he needed you. Can't you see what we have been reduced to in your absence?"

"Tenten calm down' the broken hearted Lee tried to reason

"I loved you, I love you so much"

In the spur of the moment, Tsunade managed to inject the sedative in her system

"I will never forgive you" She whispered before being devoured by darkness, so still, so sad.

It was but a mere trail of treacherous tears that Sasuke spied out of the corner of his eye, spilling from Hiashi's opalescent Byakugan.

"Come with me" Hiashi finally spoke "We still have business to do"

* * *

The Hyuuga council.

The council in question, sat in silence, anticipating what Hiashi and the Uchiha would do.

Hiashi's face was as stoic as ever, his pose poised and his voice controlled

He started his conference by an inquiry, a single question hanging between them for years

"Had I been anything but a capable leader?"

No answer was in store

"Had the mainhouse been anything but exemplary?"

The pause extended

"Had I ever been anything but responsible? But merciful? Had I ever been a tyrant?"

"Then, why did you have to betray our house like this?" He raged, all restrait thrown to the wall.

"Why did you hand them over to our sworn enemies?"

"You can't throw accus.."

"Silence" he bellowed, as they entire council fell to the ground, writhing and wiggling in pain.

' _The seal' Sasuke realised._

It was the perfect reminder why the notorious Hyuuga seal was always dreaded but never entirely abolished.

"you thought you would oust our house then defeat the Raikage and reclaim the Byakugan. How foolish, how dumb! You don't realise the gravity of what you had done, the dire consequence of handing him the byakugan they so fervently sought. He will destroy the realm, the entire wretched realm! And you have helped him. Now, you will be branded the harbingers of war, the byakugan always revelled in utmost respect would be tainted forever.

All my life I have strived to prevent this. But now you destroyed everything. Now, everybody would know that the Hyuuga destroyed the realm.

All my life, I have strived not to become a tyrant, I have avoided using this seal as much as possible, now you have turned me into the very person I never wanted to be"

"You know" he added venomously "None of you is fit to lead the clan, because none of you think through the consequences" he finally mocked

* * *

The dust has settled

"You haven't eaten anything all day"

Kakashi regrouped them into his office, they were now discussing the line of action they'd use against the offenders.

"You have decided upon what?"

His expression was brooding, brooding and uninterested. His eyes were travelling an immeasurable distance, an unknown one.

"We will have to locate them first"

"Then?"

"We end this war, I promise. No more procrastination, just eat something for God's sake"

"And Sasuke" Kakashi said before turning away

"I am sorry you came back to this"

Naruto had to wait after Kakashi was gone before approaching his friend.

He laid a single hand on his slumped shoulder, the one carrying a stumped arm.

"I shouldn't be able to show you my face but ... I swear we got caught up in defending the academy and the hospital. His attacks were ferocious .. We couldn't keep up"

"I understand .. As painful as it is I understand, It is partially my fault anyway. The responsibility of them, of keeping them safe falls to me"

"If someone is to blame, it is the treacherous bastards that sold them out. It is me for getting distracted, all of us for being hindsighted. We will take him down together I promise, we will bring Hinata-chan and Tama-kun home unscathed, as soon as possible"

He tilts his head, slightly lifting it towards the window in view, showing the dark sky illuminated by the pale white moon.

"I pray to god that I'd be able to see her eyes one last time, to stare in the unreachable depth of them one final time even if it meant my undoing"

* * *

 **Hello,**

 **A thank you is in order for your kind reviews.**

 **I hope the story has kept you interested so far, Some might have been a little disappointed by the plotline. I hope it has slightly improved**

 **Does Tenten know Neji loved Hinata? Already early on in the story we established most people (save for Hinata herself) knew Neji had a thing for her, Tenten included. Neji was still hung up on Hinata. He loved Tenten, would lay his life for her, but not only her.**

 **A very good friend has asked how far are we in the story, basically this is supposed to be the penultimate chapter. There is one chapter and an epilogue left.**

 **The ending line is a Turkish song reference.**


	30. Those captive and those left behind

**Chapter 29: Those captive and those left behind**

His eyes were jerked open when the carriage tumbled over the broken dirty roads of Kumo.

In an effort to acclimatise to the light, so sudden ... Blindingly bright, The little boy squeezed them shut before vigorously rubbing them against his delicate fingers.

His aunt was leaning against their cage bars, facing the pale absurd ... Man? ... Well he certainly looked so slithery for one.

Her eyes were mostly fixated on the carriage's stained floor, however they would occasionally drift upwards, towards the roads, the Silent lines of watchers or the passersby.

He wanted to gloat, to parade them. However, to her console, those people looked as much miserable as they were.

"you should have seen them a couple of months ago, they would have hailed your capture, the riotous idiots ... It has sunk in now, after their Raikage played them for fools and looted them out of their kins and fortunes, that they will be the losers in this war. Now, they realise they are hostages as well."

She blinked for a moment as she spared the strange passenger a single impression less glance before simply huffing and bundling the young boy closer in her arms. Not a single word did she swap with him.

In turn, he only flickered his tongue, dangling and twisting it grossly as his eyes narrowed on her.

How the mighty has fallen...

It was pathetic how their mighty foe ... Their primary adversary at one point was reduced to this ... A shackled captive to a ruthless despot.

Orochimaru has fallen.

* * *

"You look like a living corpse"

Tsunade tried her best to sound detached, to sound as clinical as could be as the plighted ANBU sat up from reclining position.

The veins in his hand, those blue tributaries were more pronounced than usual ... The black hue more prominent against the inferior orbit ...

He was emaciated altogether

"I am not here to go through this ser.."

"Don't tell me you want boosters ... Sasuke, you are over dosing on your medications, you are abusing palliatives ... Your body is desensitising ... Soon enough, the tolerance will annihilate the curative effects altogether, you are nearing toxic dose"

"I have a mission to perform and the final battle is near..."

"How many missions have you been to in the last weeks? Scouting missions, search missions, skirmishes, councils and meetings with Kakashi ... This is not the way you will bring them back; you are killing yourself" She snapped

"Don't fucking patronise me ... End of line, will you renew prescription or not?"

"I am sorry, I can't" she finalised

He stormed out of the wretched office.

* * *

" _We understand your people might feel ... dubious about this agreement but if you don't make a break in this, you will have no people left at all" The hokage casually remarked "We don't seek an occupation here, we seek an alliance. A union similar to that with Sunagakure" he added_

Brokering a deal with the remaining Iwa Shinobi has been achieved ... Barely.

Preliminary : A joint base , an autonomous Council, and a Tsuchikage who answers to Konoha .. In turn to assistance in driving out Kumo , defeating the Raikage and reconstruction Aids

Terms subject to amendment after the war settles its dust.

Kirigakure was less difficult, Kakashi concluded.

* * *

The Raikage's residence was a vast contrast to the destitute slums outside, a vast contrast to their imprisonment site, where they were kept for weeks ... Days and days that dragged .. That felt like years of toil.

Opulent and wide ... Clean to a fault ... Roofs carried on mighty columns, numerous alabaster pillars

He expected them to kneel at his presence, bow down before his very feet like the rest of his entourage would do.

Something neither Hyuugas would ever do.

A guard .. A lowly guard ,with a voice so oxen like, volunteered to shouting all kinds of atrocities, all kind of condescendents to the pair who icily stared at the grimacing man ahead.

He tried to push them down, trample them down with his feet.

At this, the Raikage motioned the guard to stop.

"So, the rumours the Hyuuga consorts" he spat with humiliation, evident and clear at the mention of his supposed leagues " suspected were true .. You really are pregnant, Can we assume it is the Uchiha's stud?" he slyly smiled.

She was so disgusted by the implication that it didn't rile her up, instead she felt an urge to vomit..

He eyed her like a predator as he stepped down from his atlar, circling her around and the nephew at her side.

"After all, you are a very beautiful woman, Hyuuga ... Not just you, your nephew over here is so pretty, so dainty, almost like a girl, as his father was reputed to be before him"

He leered at them before leaning slightly as to stroke the boy's flowing hair, prompting her to coe the boy closer to her side, as he cowered behind her legs.

"Hyuugas, descendants of Otsutsuki .. Descendants of the moon ... Cousins to Uchihas"

"I suggest you stop stressing her out , she is already tensed and unsettled" Orochimaru interrupted looking her way, almost apologetic. "It could harm her child and as far as I assume, the child's well being concern you enough" he slowly uttered, causing her to flinch, all her undeterred bravado slowly peeling away.

' _This child is your only chance to stay alive'_

"Of course... lock her away" he ordered "and fetch the boy"

They were appaled.

* * *

"We march to meet him ... There is no other way" Shikamaru reasoned "Intel here says he is preparing to strike, to raid Ushio or worse Konoha in retribution for the skirmishes and attacks we launched in the past months,, he reaches Ushio, Suna is in Danger, Konoha as well. We venture to him, we have the chance to retreat, if anything goes awry. Besides, we take down Kumo.. We take down his central base, his capital. By default, we win this war, we extend our hegemony and control over all the lands he usurped .. In addition, we rescue our hostages" he glanced towards Sasuke.

"But, Konoha ... We leave it uncovered?"

"No" Naruto proceeded "We will leave sufficient Shinobis here, we got backup in Ushio and Suna beside, right now, everybody in all the lands are prepared to help in taking down the bloody man, we may not find such opportune tidings any other time"

"When do you suggest we do?" Kakashi inquired

"In three days" Naruto suggested "Kurama believes it is better before full moon where the beasts are stronger"

* * *

Tsunade knew she was breaching one of the most binding ethical codes in medicine However, she had no other choice

' _He could die'_

Both Hiashi & Kakashi stared expectedly at her

"It is about Sasuke" She grimly started

She proceeded to tell them everything she knew ... Everything that kept falling in place

"He initially had one year .. It is the combined effect of medicine, will and a miracle that kept him going this long"

"This war, don't let him be part of it" She concluded to the petrified, grief stricken men before her

' _Too late .. He is already an integral part' they thought_

Whatever left unshattered of both men's hearts had been crushed, ground to a pile of dust ... Of ash

* * *

Hiashi was ... Numb

How miserably ironic, his feeble attempt to realter his fate, his family's fate had turned against him, been tattered then thrown to his face as though it was an elaborate ploy of retribution for something he didn't know he had committed

* * *

He has gone ballistic

He has gone catatonic ...

Kakashi locked himself in his office, issues of Icha Icha scattered around him, Alcohol, drool, tears littering his clothes

He doesn't know if he had been drinking, if he was inebriated in the first place ..because damn, he has been thrashing, simply throwing everything around as he was being spun around by a crushing spinning wheel

He doesn't know how to handle this final straw, that is breaking him ...

* * *

Naruto was roused by rattling knocks and sounds of disjoint shouting coming from his door _._

 _"_ The hell, Teme get the damn door"

He knew Sasuke ,whom he pressured to lodge with him, because damn if he had left him, he would have turned into a wraith , should be awake by now.

He has been nocturnal and now with Hinata captured he barely even blinks an eye.

Noone could blame him

And though, the knocking has ceased, the jumbled cries persisted, prompting him to exit the room ... And see what callossal mess was occuring in his living room.

He took him by the collar before pinning him to the wall

"Why the fuck haven't you told me?"

The man looked dishevelled, dishevelled but familiar ...

This spiky silvery hair ..

' _Kakashi' Naruto realised_

Gone was the face cover and the Ninja band

For the very first time, Naruto has seen Kakashi, the man with the thousand Jutsus, exposed .. Bare and raw .. Vulnerable

Human , merely human.

' _He must have known' He registered_

"and you" he turned to the bewildered Naruto " why didn't you tell me? Did you enjoy seeing me helping him slowly kill him? Was it to your liking or perhaps to the Seething demon locked inside you?"

"Kakashi, that is enough, don't spill the zenith of your wrath on poor Naruto, it isnot his fault"

Sasuke pushed the flailing man away from him

"I thought you knew, I thought you understand that I can't afford to lose someone else, not you, not sakura not Naruto, not anyone else, not after Rin, Not after Minato and Obito" his voice faltering with deadweight bereavement. "

I thought you fucking understand"

"I am sorry .. I am truly sorry, Kakashi. Believe me, it is out of hand"

Their mentor has slipped into oblivion, passed out of sheer unspoken grief.

"Come Naruto, let's move him to the washing room"

* * *

He doesn't want to wake up to his failure

Kakashi stays still in bed, fighting the mighty demons trying to rip his eye open ..

Everything aches

"You shouldn't have lashed out on Naruto this way , he has already had enough" Sasuke spoke to him "I know you are awake"

"Where is he?"

"In the office, finalising the details for our imminent departure, apologise to him, he needs you. You need each other"

"You aren't going"

"I have to and you know you can't prevent me"

"This is suicide"

"I will make sure the old hag pays for what she had done, I assume she told Hiashi as well"

"Don't change the subject here"

"Kakashi, this is another day, right? The earth is still spinning, going round its designated orbit, nothing have stopped" Sasuke eyed him warily "Earlier this day, Juugo informed us of something the birds sighted, something they had never seen before ... A tailed beast they think, but like no other .. Naruto and the other Shinobi will need backup if they can't take it on their own .. Besides, it is my wife he had taken, my child and my ward .I am literally dying now that I know they arenot safe, that my vow to protect them had been broken"

"But .."

"I have held up this long, you have held up this long, God knows, the both of us can bear more, can take more than this"

"I am so sorry .. That I implicated you in this, I couldn't help you, I feel crippled, all this power and I am helpless against everything"

"You can't control everything, accept this Kakashi. Now, get up, you have a village to rule and a war to run"

Sasuke moved towards the exit .. Shutting the door behind him.

Later, as Kakashi would apologise, Naruto would pledge to Kakashi, he would find a cure for Sasuke's Ailment, that he is working on it with Kyuubi ... A pledge that wouldn't ease him, not even a little bit.

And in the other two days, he would finally walk his two prodigal apprentices, his trainees along with Hiashi, Shikamaru and Sai down to the village's gates with numerous other troops, young, weary but eager to fight for their own , to fulfill all those vows to shield and protect their loved ones .. To unite the hidden lands

* * *

 **Hello,**

 **slight change of plans, I have split the last chapter, this is part one**

 **To all those confused by the NejiTen affair, I have written a companion/prequel piece called freedom & love about them, check it out, hope it clears all this ambiguity about them in the story.**

 **A thank you is in order for your kind reviews**


	31. Don't cry for me

**Hello,**

 **Finally, we have come to an end.I hope you enjoyed the story so far and well, I hope it turned out alright.**

 **A question has been posed if the other villages know about Kaguya and the otsutsukis .. etc.I think most people don't know the proceedings of the final showdown between Sasuke, Naruto and Kaguya and the whole of Hagorama giving them his chakra and the fact they are incarnates and so**

 **But otherwise, I think they have knowledge about the whole mythology ..every land had a tailed beast after all so naturally they know , clans like the Hyuugas and Uchihas gained prestige through flaunting their ancestoral ties with such powerful figures as Hagorama and Hamura .. and acquiring their dojutsus.**

 **A thank you is in order for your kind reviews and for sticking by.**

 **Multiple song refs. (English &:Turkish) throughout the chapter.**

 **I took slight liberty with Dojutsu and Chakra nature and so**

* * *

 **Chapter 30: Don't cry for me**

"Tama kun"

The little boy was demounted off the stretcher, and thrown into his aunt's arms.

His breathing was slow, heaved with incoherent mumblings and hemmings in his painful oblivion.

His orbital region was heavily bandaged,

The Raikage has stolen his Byakugan.

"He is fine"

Orochimaru tried to assure "No one was allowed to touch or lay his hands on him except me"

How comforting, this was supposed to calm her fears!

"He is a little kid" She whispered "He is a damn kid, how could he have the heart? How did he dare?" she screamed

"Believe me, Hyuuga. This is the most gracious barter we could get out of the monster , the one crumb of mercy we could bargain for. In fact, you should be thankful he didn't slaughter him on the spot or worse molest him" he knowingly implied "He spared this boy, he spared you and your Byakugan in fear you would abort your child"

"And what does he want with my child?"

"Honestly Hyuuga, you don't realise the significance .. the sheer power of this child you are carrying. A child scioned of the most diluted Hyuuga and Uchiha bloodline would be powerful, yours is an offspring of both mainhouses, a pureblood on both sides. yours is a descendent of Hamura's bloodline and Hagorama's ... A child who finally reunited both Otsutsuki bloodlines. Imagine his chakra signature, the transformations and evolution that can come out of it. His dojutsu and its potential. Your child might be damn near omnipotent. Now imagine if he could use him, raise him as weapon or even worse case scenarios ..."

Her legs became wobbly and she sank to the floor

"Your nephew here, unfortunate as maybe and your unborn child have bought us precious time. Sasuke , Naruto, your father, the leaf Shinobis will come for the three of you, that is an unrefutable fact .. Sasuke alone is a force not to be reckoned with especially when it comes to those dear to himself, he will hunt down the hound to the ends of earth, the gates of the hellpit and back.. Until then, we have little time. Your nephew and yourself, even me are temporarily as safe as could be in this devil's clutches"

' _I don't want him to come for me'_

 _The moment she heard about Kankuro's escape, that he was part of the mission and that he survived, she was elated, happy he beat the odds , happy he survived even if she was a goner_

 _And now the thought of him in his respective condition coming after her is as even daunting as whatever the raikage could do to her_

* * *

He felt euphoric

The newly transplanted eyes, the abilty to see everything, almost everything made him feel high on power, indomitable, invincible even.

But still, he needed little time to master the use of the Byakugan, tune it with his body and the lame beast's chakra.

He was the Jinchuuriki and the Raikage and soon to be the conqueror of the hidden lands .. A legend among legends, a deity of his own.

"We should march to meet them" his commander suggested "They are already getting dangerously too close"

"Let them be"

"But my league, it puts the entire Kumo in danger of being subdued .. conquered.. Most of our troops are stationed elsewhere, the rest are tired. Marching to meet them as far away as possible improves our chances of regrouping the troops, reinforcing the village's defences .."

"I need time here to perfect the use of the Byakugan .."

"They are moving in fast .."

"once I am ready, our ultimate weapon is ready.. They wil not be able to beat us"

"They are gathering support along the way, they have both Naruto, a powerful Jinchuuriki and The Uchiha along many other strong Shinobis ..."

"Do you mean to condescend me?" the byakugan eyes blazed with a foreign dangerous flash, a malice so unnatural to the pure white eyes "or do you hope you can get rid of me and usurp power" His hand moved as to unsheath his sword .. Hovering it dangerously near the commander's neck

On his part, the weaker man opted to back on his words. He had to concede. He was no match for the Raikage, no match at all ... Right now, he held everything wealth, power and the lives of entire families within the leaden clasps of his hands .. He could destroy everything in the rim of an eye.

But still, everything was at stake, a double cross of plight and he knew they were heading down a bitter end... The ultimate downfall. The raikage has grown conceited, the power rush has got to his head and his paranoia intensified. There was really no choice only the stride from predestinied doom to a procrastinated macabre defeat.

So he would rather take his own fall later, than sooner.

' _The cursed fool'_

* * *

Tama spent the third night in a row, wallowing in pain.

All Hinata's effort to ease him, all Orochimaru's trials to obtain analgesics have fallen on deaf ears.

The little boy kept crying and screaming in agony

"Where is Kaa-san? I want Kaa-san"he writhed

She kept cradling him, rocking the young child back and forth. She couldn't bring herself to imagine how Tenten would be doing now away from Tama, what she'd have done, had she seen him in this condition.

"Would Otou-san have stopped this pain?"

The question caused Hinata's heart to arrest.

* * *

Shikamaru, along with The recently recovered Kankuro and Kirigakure aids have helped set up marine station points and post overlooking mutual gross parts of both Kirigakure and Kumo's vast maritime borders.

And now they were nearing the ground border .

Kakashi appointed Naruto as commander general ..

"We have marine borders secured now we have three goals on hand:

Defeating the Raikage and his Jinchuuriki

Rescuing Hinata-chan, Tama-kun and other hostages

Seizing Kumogakure and establishing an allied shinobi base

The Raikage & his Jinchuuriki is mine and Sasuke's, Hinata's rescue mission falls to Hiashi-San, Sai, lee, Shino and third goal will be discussed in lieu" Naruto announced "Tomorrow we start our raid"

* * *

The air was humming with trepidations .. It smelled of apprehension and heavy anticipation.

Prayers were said, letters were written and merry songs bounced off the camp in an effort to mask the pungent smell of fear, so pronounced .. A vain effort to shoo off and dissipate the lingering unwanted guest

"I don't want you to strain yourself, next day"

The old man instructed the reclining youth next to him in the tent

"I will try not to, Hiashi"

"Sasuke, she needs you alive, we all need you alive"

"And I need her alive, I need them; Hinata, Tama and my child safe and for that I wouldn't wane an inch or surrender. She can make it without me, I can't make it without her" he reasoned "Hiashi, tomorrow, the responsibility of saving our family will finally fall back to us, I will do whatever I can to protect them, to help you but you, you must save your family, there is no one else to delegate this to, no one will be capable to do this for you anymore. You will have to face this, to understand this at the moment, my family, Neji's family are yours in the first place."

He wistfully looked at the youth beside him, suddenly looking so semblant to Neji as he secretly remembered the former lost ones, the other prodigies. Life .. what a cruel joke it was, to have him and his likings bury such young men instead of vice versa.

' _It feels like the end of days'_

* * *

Individual voices were muffled between the fledgling sounds of swords, the air pierced through by spears , the clash of metal and various releases .. The hexing jutsus flying in the air

"We finally come face to face"

Sasuke stared longly at the Byakugan.

* * *

They could infiltrate the border into the village itself,

The small cohort led by Hiashi did it ..

But still despite his Byakugan being activated, he couldn't find Hinata and his grand son.

"A mirror" Sai concluded "He had them locked in a mirror encased prison, it would bounce off the light so you wouldn't see and would absorb Chakra flickers as to mask them"

With so, they set out to find their peculiar site.

* * *

"I am surprised you were so dumb as not to march to meet us sooner" Naruto taunted "So scared of your imminent defeat, where is your Jinchuuriki coward, the one you appointed after murdering Killer B?"

The Raikage's smile grew wide.

"Naruto, he is the Jinchuuriki" Sasuke announced

"Oh, Uchiha, how I wanted to meet you, how I wanted to thank you for your gift"

His thespian attitude was getting on their nerves

"At first, by marrying the Hyuuga , I thought you spoilt my plans. Turned out that through this marriage, you have bestowed me with such precious gift, such child of yours .. A pure amalgamation of both Otsutsuki lineage, can you imagine the raw might that will course through the child's veins, the Dojutsu, how advanced it might be ... All this in my hands after defeating you, in addition to this nephew of your wife's ...an heir and a spare. Can you imagine when the elusive snake Orochimaru now captured in a glass room in my very hand transfer my conscious into your son, fuse the Tailed beast within him .. Or even multiple beasts .."

' _The seeds you have strewn across the Hyuuga lands are dangerous ones' Kurama's voice echoed through his mind_

"And that beautiful ward of yours, whose eyes I have taken along with your pretty wife will make lovely concubines"

Naruto eyed his friend from the corner of his eyes, he had seen Sasuke sport this notorious look before

' _He will enjoy killing him'_

"You have taken the boy's eyes,He is just a kid ... What kind of monster are you?" Naruto yelled at the vile man as the three of them started circling each other

"Wake up fool .. This is war, This is power, there are no room for such notions as children or women or weak. I am sure your friend here understands, for he is much like me"

"Sasuke is pragmatic maybe, but not evil, not cruel" Naruto sprung to his friend's defense

"Anyway, it is victory, bone crushing victory... My head or yours."

' _I swear to God, it will be yours' Sasuke vowed as they clashed together._

* * *

"What do you suggest? Konoha is gaining upper hand" one of the generals posed at the commander

"The Raikage, where is he?"

"Fighting the Jinchuuriki"

"Then Announce to the troops, we are falling back"

"What?"

"You heard, they are no longer able to hold any ground, already Suna & Konoha's cohorts have entered the village, we are beseiged, our distant bases are hit by defeat after defeat, we have no chance but to surrender and ask for clemency"

"But the Raikage"

"He is done" he said with finality _._

* * *

"It peaks my interest though, why the both of you so adamant, so determined on protecting these lands, this village of yours, so evil, so cruel. Weren't they the ones who mistreated you on every corner? Didn't they slaughter your entire clan for an alleged mutiny, they could have so easily diffused? Aren't they so evil, so ruthless? Don't they deserve some leader as evil as me?"

"I don't know which is more humorous, Your twisted idea about evil being cured by more evil or the fact you fancy yourself a leader altogether" Naruto wryly responded

"Maybe Konoha was like that in the past, but now, the contemporary Konoha isnot. The one that embraced someone as generous as Naruto, the village that reared someone as selfless as Itachi, as courageous as Neji, the village that nurtures an orphan like Tama, the one that comes to aiding the oppressed, it deserves to florish, it deserves to conquer, to lead and usurp that terror state of yours. You are no more than a dying relic of an era that produced such abominations as Danzo and his likings" Sasuke hissed as his teeth involuntary clenched

 _There is a hum , a steady tinnitus in his ear, one that is too weak but present ... One that seemed to intensify moment by moment_

' _Kurama can't sense Gyuuki' Naruto communicated telepathically effectively muffling the voice resounding in his ears_

' _Gyuuki is no more, he lobotomised him, whatever left of it is no more than an unsentient mass of chakra_ '

The Raikage could see his troops falling back, konoha's troops gaining ground yet, he was held back by his fight with both Shinobis

"You could have used Amaterusu .. You could have accessed tailed beast mode right from the start"

"Unlike you, we don't wish to burn down the entire land with its inhabitants, we want to rule living people, not ash or charred bodies" Naruto replied

 _There is an acerbic taste on his tongue and a familiar vile smell of blood and his breathing feels constricted, so utterly constricted_

' _we can't attack him from the back ... He virtually sees everything, within his Sight'_

' _Naruto, you are a genius .. No, he doesn't see everything'_

* * *

She hasn't slept at all, all night the boy has been struggling with bouts of pain and fever.

However, something was intently different this day, the bustle all around, the voices and panic

"They are here" She heard the guards "Konohans"

The glazed surface of a mirror might hinder a Byakugan, but she could see through the dull surface _._

And indeed she could see the entire battle unfolding before her eyes

* * *

It has taken them too long to locate their imprisonment site

' _Come on, we are so damn close' Hiashi thought_

* * *

Tama's blind spot, same as Neji's, second thoracic vertebra, he recalled

 _His vision is narrowing, it blurring, something flashes and floats in his eyes_

' _Buy me time, Naruto ..distract him for one second' he hopes his friend would understand like he always did_

' _Don't waver now, One more step Sasuke, one more step' he mentally encourages_

' _Yes, one single step'_

 _At that particular moment, he swears it is Itachi he has heard inside his head._

* * *

Rinnegan,

He uses the rinnengan to teleport himself, effectively thrusting his sword in the point corresponding to the Byakugan's blind spot.

Apparently, One fatal blow was all it has taken for the nightmare to end, to dissolve, leaving behind a bloody caracass, voluminous amount stationary of chakra and devastation, huge mass of utter devastation ...

So it seemed

* * *

She could see him,as he delivered the final blow

She could see him, could feel those last Chakra reserves draining out of him

* * *

"You have done it Teme" Naruto boisterously proclaimed before sensing something was undeniably amiss .. "He is gone" rapidly Naruto's happy facade fell, entirely crumbled as Sasuke's feet gave way to his collapse.

He was bleeding, every visible orifice of his was trickling blood.

Naruto moved fast as to catch his ailing friend, before he hit the ground so violently.

It was over, his fight , his purpose was ultimately done ...

He could sense it, death approaching, looming from every corner, calling out to him.

He wants to tell him to go away, to come another time, another day .. Death whom he eagerly expected , every single day since reaping his entire clan, his brother.. Death who reaped Neji, who would eventually reap everyone else.

' _Alas, death, come another time .. after I see her, after I see my child_ '

"Sasuke"

He finds he can't deactivate his Sharingan, it is stuck and he can see everything in live colour.

"It seems we part here, Naruto"

"Sasuke, hang on .. " Naruto frantically tries to call for medical Nins, tries to use all those Chakra infusing techniques Sakura had taught him ..

To no avail

Sasuke delivers such a feeble smile on the equally feeble attempt

'it seems you slept through your lessons again"

"Don't speak, Sasuke, save your strength"

"Sharingan goes to Tama .. Rinnegan is yours until my child ever needs it, hand it down to him"

"Sasuke, don't play mind games with me"

"Goodbye, my one & only friend" it comes out natural, so light and natural as if it wasn't their ultimate goodbye, as if he is going on a promenade, a brief journey from which his return will be soon.

* * *

There is a cold that is setting into his bones, one that is soaking him like the sea, numbing and tuning him out of this world

' _One last time' he pleads_

* * *

His eyes seemed to be blazing ...

It is an abnormal chakra signature she sees, a flicker of something that almost draws her Byakugan in against her will, signalling her to stare, to make contact and not to look away.

There is a silver line, a shimmering weak connection that Springs alive within the muffled realm of his subconscious, floats within the impinging dark

" _Sasuke_ "

The voice, her voice tethers him from descending further into the moribund oblivion

The final clemency he had wished for has been granted.

 _"we have come this far"_

" _Sasuke, Hold on, it is almost done" she urges wholeheartedly like a drowning man begging for help_

"I _know it is"_

What a morbid irony

" _we have rewritten fate, you and I, haven't we, Hinata?"_

 _"Don't .."_

 _"I was dead when I came back. You married a resigned dead hollow man .. But you brought me to life, you .. Resurrected everything that I thought have died within me, hope, love .. even the legacy of my clan. I woke up from death .. I want to thank you, thank you for giving me a life I have always wanted"_

 _"Sasuke, please, don't do this to me , stay .. Stay with me please, don't leave_ " tears were streaming down her face, every droplet a waterfall.

They could both feel this connection of theirs dimming. He could feel this water like existence he has been suspended in being blown away by strong Autumn winds

" _Don't cry for me" he whispers "Farewell my one and only love ..."_

 _"Inochi"_

* * *

There is voice calling out to him, ushering and beckoning him, it is death he knows, it is louder

And it sounds so much like Itachi, he has never been able to refuse Itachi

" _Welcome, brother"_

 _"We meet properly at last" The white eyed youth warmly smiled_

* * *

' _It is over'_

she sinks to the ground

Suddenly, she feels lonely, so lonely and she feels a hole a gapping hole in her chest, a vacuum that she presses her hand t _o_

' _He is gone'_

The air she feels has been suck into a void, a void that keeps getting wider, that is swallowing her whole.

 _There is a monotonous sound, a resonant tapping sound of tears falling to the ground... Translucent white and ruby drops_

 _Her eyes .. Her eyes hurt, her eyes hurt so much ... It is a searing pain travelling through her nerves_

 _Her eyes she feels are going to burst and she screws them shut in response_

"Hinata ... Tama _"_ Hiashi shouted _"Thank god, we have found them"_

 _The man ran to his daughter, pale as the dead, still as the dead_

"Hinata , are you alright?"

"Hinata, please" he repeated as he took his frail daughter in his arm

"He is gone" she whispered "He is gone"

The older man's face fell through giving way to grief,, the tears were pricking the corner of his eyes _._

He released her temporarily and marched towards Tama lying beside the sitting Orochimaru

They exchanged a few words during which Orochimaru briefly explained the situation before being interrupted by Hinata's guttural scream

" _Ah ..."_

 _Her eyes jerked open Unveiling a different colour hue, her eyes were blue, a magnificent blue with such intricate distinctive pattern_

" _Ah..."_

' _Her eyes, They have changed'_


	32. Epilogue: Inochi

**Epilogue: Inochi**

 _'I promise I will find a cure for you'_

"We come here not only to mark the celebration of victory .. A victory we have sacrified for so much, immolated to its establishment hefty sums and loved ones, we come here to celebrate life .. To celebrate love, the foundation upon which every state is kept together, unified and prosperous, as a great man once told me"

 _He wasn't lying long ago when he said he was working with Kyuubi on a cure, but somethings were out of his hands_

' _You have to help me, all those years you must have come across something'_

 _'I am merely an instrument of death .. Not death itself .. I cannot stand head to head against it'_

"We come here today to mark the inaugration of Uchiha's medical research unit for immune disorders , founded as a collaboration between Konoha's heath institute and Military research unit, headed by Sakura Haruno and Karin Uzumaki respectively .."

The crowd applauded

"and funded by both Konoha's local state cabinet and generous contributions from The Hyuuga clan dedicated to the memories of Sasuke uchiha, Itach uchiha & Neji Hyuuga, rest their souls"

"How is he holding up?" Sai asked

"As good as a man who lost half of himself and retained the other half" Shikamaru replied "If Neji's death shattered him in half then Sasuke's loss destroyed him"

Shikamaru could list all those times he would find Naruto talking to himself, imagining Sasuke is there... Those times his eyes would wistfully stray, travel distance after distance in search of the mere silhouette of his friend! The ti

mes Naruto would be talking to him with Sasuke's name is on the tip of his tongue, before he'd realise it is him not Sasuke and then quietly concedes

"It will offer service and council for the entire unified Hidden lands" the Subete no kage finalised.

Naruto .. The allkage, kage of the newly formed, tentative unified hidden lands

Kakashi has retired ... Becoming a recluse right after he heard of Sasuke's demise, passing on his duties to his disciple and Diligent student Naruto who only ever continued to prove his worth.

He never sees anyone or interacts with anybody but a very few.

He barely leaves his house, in fact his attendance today could be considered among one of the rare occurences

He doesn't train anyone, except occasionally Tama or Inochi.

"And Hinata? Did she give her word to Gaara's offering?"

 _'I know you will say that I am crazy, but I can't shake off the feeling that oneday he is coming back, I can't stop waiting for him, even when I know he isnot coming, he is never coming_ ' _She told Shikamaru_

 _'Besides, Tama, Inochi, the clan and now Hanabi's upcoming wedding .. They are taking up all of my time'_

Hiashi has stepped down from clan's headmanship, appointing Hinata in his place .. Hanabi has renounced the clan and settled for marrying Konohamaru, after all it was Hinata who awakened Tenseigan making her more powerful, more candid.

She could find other ways to prove herself _._

"Hinata is done at least for the time being. I just wish Gaara would understand that and stop pestering me"

 _'She is an empty husk of who she used to be, just like Tenten and Tama .. She is simply functioning, not living, if it wasn't for Inochi ..'_

Shikamaru's eyes travelled to where the boy was.. Inochi... life ... Inochi Uchiha ..

And as Shikamaru's eyes met his almost ethereal ones, the boy smiled brightly and he couldn't but smile back

He was beautiful .. The five year old boy ,close to his own child's age with lush black hair and dark grey eyes that can suck you in, mesmerise you by their beauty.

He was as cute and pleasant as Tama was before the war.

The two boys stood side by side

Tama, now a boy of ten years old, a hardened boy weilding both Byakugan and Sharingan, carrying the weight and the faint scar of a war .. The upcoming Hyuuga heir who grew up so prematurely ...

A boy who barely smiles, the Jinchuuriki of the lobotomised Gyuuki.

He no longer lets his brown hair flow, he crops it in a short cut, a very short cut that almost makes him look bald.

"It is better this way" He would gruffly reply

Apparently, he wants so hard not to flaunt his looks ... He has come to fear his own beauty

' _Maybe someday, he will heal'_

* * *

"Tama-kun, can you tell me about my father?"

The boy smiled at his little brother, a rare display of emotion coming out of him

"Haven't your mother, Hinata-sama and Naruto-san told you enough?"

"yes" he squealed "But I want to hear more from you"

"Ok, maybe after we train and I teach you all those awesome jutsus he had taught me"

The boy remembered the time when he would ask his aunt the very same questions long ago ... The time when Sasuke would teach him exactly the same things he teaches Inochi

"Tama-Kun, do you ever want to be an all kage?"

"Maybe, Do you?"

"I don't know as well, maybe someday I can become one, if I am a strong enough Shinobi"

It is springtime in Konoha where everything would blossom

Konoha's winds are becoming considerably kinder than they used to be.


End file.
